NURSES Apples Acre, this Portland, Ore., trio’s 2009 release, got them lumped in with the Animal Collective school of avant-pop, and the new one, Dracula, probably belongs there, too, at least on paper: skittering beats, synth smudges, shadowy guitar reverb and overlapping vocals, some of the songs bordering on ’80s dance-able. The trick here initially is getting past the pinched squawk of singer Aaron Johnson, whose singing voice isn’t exactly soothing. There are moments, too, when Nurses could reach for something more substantial, something greater, perhaps even epic, but seem disinclined to do so in favor of texture for texture’s sake. With Dominant Legs. (John Schacht)

Price: $8, $10