24 SUNDAY

The NYC group Run On is a supergroup of sorts. Not on a par with Asia, perhaps, but the members of Run On do have indie-rock cred, having been members of Love Child, Fish and Roses, and the Shams. The quartet’s debut long-player amazes with its eclecticism—and despite that it’s still really great. Start Packing bounces from combustible drone ’n’ squall (“Miscalculation”) to dusty Velvet melancholy (“Doesn’t Anybody Love the Dark”) to sexy rhythmic grooves (“Go There”)—and one of my co-workers just asked of the album opener (“Tired”), “Is this Rush?” But despite the variety of styles, this decidedly pop album is as cohesive as “Xmas Trip” is NYCentric (a crappy cassette copy of Sonic Youth’s Daydream Nation album provides the journey’s soundtrack, and a CBGB’s T-shirt is the preferred attire). Run On plays with power-popper Tommy Keene and power trio Spoon as part of a Matador showcase at 8:30 p.m. at the Black Cat, 1831 14th St. NW. $8. (202) 667-7960. CP