No Age - Weirdo Rippers

Weirdo Rippers is a compilation of No Age's early EPs.  Released in 2007 it sets the drum and guitar template for their sound.  After a slow build up, Every Artist Needs A Tragedy comes barreling out of the traps with heavily treated guitars and percussion.  Boy Void is a rabble rousing punky stomper lasting a mere 105 seconds with some great trashy guitars.  Shoegazey passages intersperse the album, introducing droney chant I Wanna Sleep and noise workout Semi-Sorted, while and occupying most of the running time of the dreamy instrumental Sun Spots and the static-filled Escarpment. 

My Life's Alright Without You and Dead Plane sound a little like someone took a Ramones song and turned it inside out and pulled it apart.  Which is very good indeed.  Everybody's Down pounds away gloriously, burning out long before it outstays its welcome.  It's not all air-punching, Neck Escaper is dreamily melodic, though a chantable chorus does break through before the end.

There's little time to sit and wait for something to happen here, the thrills come thick and fast, with not a note wasted.  What's interesting is no portions of any song repeat themselves, the surplus of ideas here means each musical idea is aired once only - blink and you'll miss them!  Weirdo Rippers is a good description of the material here, the songs pack a hell of a punch but are just a little off centre, avoiding the obvious and heading for the margins.