REVIEW: No Age – “Everything In Between”

No Age / Everything In Between / Sub Pop

No Age clearly put great care into giving their guitar-and-drums rock combo an original aftertaste. This care shines through in their use of layered dreamy whirring and rhythmic solos swimming in feedback, but it’s not so uniformly evident in the vocals. It’s a given that vocals generally take a back seat on indie “noise rock”-type records, but there are a few instances on Everything in Between when the vocals are given top billing – and it actually works. “Glitter” is one of those songs and it’s not like it’s a radically different song structure for the duo – it’s just slowed down to half speed.

Even on the spacey closer “Chem Trails”, drummer Dean Spunt proves that not only can he match Thurston Moore when it comes to the mid-90’s indie wail, but also in the avant-garde. An instrumental break midway through the song is accompanied by some sporadic popping that is produced by either bubble wrap or an AK-47. With the group coming from the L.A. underground, it would be foolish to approach this record expecting to hear slick vocal production in songs that just don’t call for them, especially when the real sublime moments are actually found in the instrumental creations (“Dusted”, Katerpillar”).

Download: “Life Prowler”, “Glitter”
 

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