EVER imagine what it would sound like if “Bare Trees”-era Fleetwood Mac jammed with “Jealous Again”-era Black Flag? Probably not, but Sonic Youth has.
On the band’s Web site (sonicyouth.com), they ask fans to conjure that very blend when listening to their new record, “Sonic Nurse,” their 19th.
Pulling such musical references from the ’70s and ’80s, Sonic Youth must be thinking of older fans. But young hipsters should be listening to this influential underground rock act too.
The band performs at Webster Hall (125 E. 11th St.; [212] 353-1600) tonight, along with White Magic and Magic Markers.
The show is the first of many at Webster Hall presented by the same folks who run indie rock essentials the Bowery Ballroom and the Mercury Lounge.
Hopefully they can rid the space of the ladies-night, drink-special aura – and drop the drink prices too. That would rock the house like this place used to rock when it was the old Ritz.
TONIGHT: Get dazed and confused with Jersey City’s Led Zep-inspired Rye Coalition, who rock at Maxwell’s (1039 Washington St., Hoboken; [201] 798-0406) along with King of Birds and Higgins. The group’s new album, “Secret Heat,” produced by Dave Grohl, will come out this fall.
SUNDAY PLUS: On the disc “Get Well Soon,” the Starvations whip up a frenzy of ’70s punk and shatter it with some psychobilly – perhaps a response to their living in a gilded cage in Hollywood. The group crosses the country to perform at Williamsburg’s Trash (256 Grand St., Brooklyn; [718] 599-1000) on Sunday and at the Lit Lounge (93 Second Ave.; [212] 777-7987) on Wednesday.
THURSDAY TIMES THREE: A.C. Newman is also known as Carl Newman, leading man of the indie pop Canadian supergroup the New Pornographers. On his debut solo disc, Newman reveals his quirky indie pop side. He performs at the Bowery Ballroom (6 Delancey St., at Bowery; [212] 533-2111).
Yo La Tengo’s latest treat, 2003’s “Summer Sun,” is perfect listening for these hot August nights, as the airy loveliness of tunes like “Season of the Shark” and “Little Eyes” will lighten the sweltering humidity.
The Hoboken trio will headline “The End of an Error,” a John Kerry fund-raiser at Spirit (530 W. 27th St.; [212] 268-1600) that also features John Wesley Harding and the French Kicks, whose electronically enabled rock album “The Trial of the Century” is one of the year’s best. A variety-type show combining music, comedy and politics, it also features Eric Bogosian, SNL’s Rachel Dratch, Ted Allen and Kyan Douglas of “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.”
Astaire is a sweet pop duo made up of New York-based Brazilian-American siblings Bruce and Erica Driscoll. Fountains of Wayne’s Adam Schlesinger appears on their electronic beat-heavy debut disc “Don’t Whisper Lies” and the title track has strings composed by Brazil’s famous Ze Luis and performed by the New York Philharmonic. They perform at Joe’s Pub (425 Lafayette St.; [212] 539-8770).