september 3

I remember talking with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth a few years ago and was gently chiding him about the name. These guys weren’t exactly young anymore. Moore took a little umbrage. The name wasn’t about that, he said. It was a tribute to two acts, the Sonics and Big Youth. Ok, if you say so, but Big Youth was a reggae guy and I haven’t heard much of a reggae influence in Sonic Youth. Doesn’t matter. People talking and writing about Sonic Youth’s latest CD, “Rather Ripped,’’ are using terms like “rather poppy.’’ We’d agree that it doesn’t have the full-bore skronk of “Daydream Nation” or “Dirty,” and we’d say there’s always something a little disarming when Sonic Youth doesn’t turn distorted and ballistic. Bassist-singer Kim Gordon’s exploring a pop voice, and they’ve got this lovely, elegiac tune called “Do You Believe in the Rapture?’’ (Remember “Diamond Sea”?) But there’s a guitar squall lurking in there, and, guess what folks, it’s sure to come front and center at  Avalon Sept. 3 when Gordon, hubby-guitarist-singer Moore, guitarist-singer Lee Ranaldo and drummer Steve Shelley do their concert thing. Starts at 7 p.m. with Wooden Wand opening.  Tickets: $23

15 Lansdowne St., 617-262-2424 tickemaster.com