Reunion album keeps band sharp Skidmore News 10/23/09
Bands can't seem to stay broken up these days. A reunion used to be considered at least somewhat of a big deal. For a time, indie rock bands constituted the exception to this rule. However, the temptation to achieve the fame and glory that had eluded them in the musical dark ages of the '80s eventually proved impossible to resist, even for the most ideologically pure.
However, when Dinosaur Jr. got back together in 2005, indie rock fans were genuinely shocked. If the notoriously bitter and stubborn band mates J. Mascis and Lou Barlow were willing to let bygones be bygones, hell had not only frozen over, but shattered into a million pieces. Fans and educated observers were understandably far from enthused, given the track record of such reunions.
Fortunately, Dinosaur Jr. proved all the skeptics dead wrong with a series of intense live shows and "Beyond," the first recording featuring the original lineup of guitarist/primary songwriter J. Mascis, Bassist/Secondary songwriter Lou Barlow and drummer Murph in almost two decades. "Beyond" could stand tow-to-tow with material from their 1980s heyday and earned a place on many year-end lists for the top albums of 2007. The years had clearly done nothing to diminish the band's chemistry.
"Beyond" pleased Dinosaur Jr. old fans and gained them many new ones because it remained faithful to the band's classic sound while integrating modern production techniques more palatable to modern listeners. It remained to be seen whether the band could maintain the same level of quality and enthusiasm after the initial shock of a reunion wore off. It turns out the answer is yes. "Farm," their newest release, is at least as good as its predecessor. It has all the staples of vintage Dinosaur Jr., from J. Mascis over-the-top but somehow not embarrassing solos and endearing laconic drawl to Barlow's punchy bass lines and Murph's titanic skin-bashing. The songs are great as always, loud, in-your-face instrumentation with catchy hooks.
Once again, the album consists mostly of Mascis compositions, Barlow contributes a pair of excellent songs: "Your Weather" and "Imagination Blind." Although the formers' material is catchier and more overtly impressive, Barlow's contributions add a refreshing helping of pathos to an otherwise detached affair.
Album highlights include "I Want You to Know," which would make a great addition to the modern rock charts if they did not disqualify good music from consideration. Although it would be absurd to accuse Dinosaur Jr. of coasting with an album of such high quality, "Farm" does sound almost identical to "Beyond." This is in part due to the production, which leaves nuance aside in favor of immediacy, which is all well and good considering the band's sound. That said, this approach tends to make songs blend together in your head even when they are not actually that similar.
Dinosaur Jr. has proven with past releases that they are capable of covering more sonic ground than they do on "Farm."
Even in their earlier period, which has been cited by musicians and critics as extremely groundbreaking and influential, Dinosaur Jr. was never particularly concerned with pushing the envelope. Their music has always been characterized by a strong feeling of nostalgia for the glory days of classic rock. Moreso than any other band in the 1980s, Dinosaur Jr. proved that instrumental chops and straightforward rock n' roll was not purely the domain of appalling hair metal bands.
Since their reunion in 2005, Dinosaur Jr. has been fulfilling this role more than adequately, expanding on an already respectable discography. Hopefully, their next release will deliver a few more surprises along with the quality songwriting listeners have come to expect.
Eric Shaprio is a sophomore who loves rock music in all its forms. You may see him around campus in a band t-shirt listening to his iPod and looking friendly.
However, when Dinosaur Jr. got back together in 2005, indie rock fans were genuinely shocked. If the notoriously bitter and stubborn band mates J. Mascis and Lou Barlow were willing to let bygones be bygones, hell had not only frozen over, but shattered into a million pieces. Fans and educated observers were understandably far from enthused, given the track record of such reunions.
Fortunately, Dinosaur Jr. proved all the skeptics dead wrong with a series of intense live shows and "Beyond," the first recording featuring the original lineup of guitarist/primary songwriter J. Mascis, Bassist/Secondary songwriter Lou Barlow and drummer Murph in almost two decades. "Beyond" could stand tow-to-tow with material from their 1980s heyday and earned a place on many year-end lists for the top albums of 2007. The years had clearly done nothing to diminish the band's chemistry.
"Beyond" pleased Dinosaur Jr. old fans and gained them many new ones because it remained faithful to the band's classic sound while integrating modern production techniques more palatable to modern listeners. It remained to be seen whether the band could maintain the same level of quality and enthusiasm after the initial shock of a reunion wore off. It turns out the answer is yes. "Farm," their newest release, is at least as good as its predecessor. It has all the staples of vintage Dinosaur Jr., from J. Mascis over-the-top but somehow not embarrassing solos and endearing laconic drawl to Barlow's punchy bass lines and Murph's titanic skin-bashing. The songs are great as always, loud, in-your-face instrumentation with catchy hooks.
Once again, the album consists mostly of Mascis compositions, Barlow contributes a pair of excellent songs: "Your Weather" and "Imagination Blind." Although the formers' material is catchier and more overtly impressive, Barlow's contributions add a refreshing helping of pathos to an otherwise detached affair.
Album highlights include "I Want You to Know," which would make a great addition to the modern rock charts if they did not disqualify good music from consideration. Although it would be absurd to accuse Dinosaur Jr. of coasting with an album of such high quality, "Farm" does sound almost identical to "Beyond." This is in part due to the production, which leaves nuance aside in favor of immediacy, which is all well and good considering the band's sound. That said, this approach tends to make songs blend together in your head even when they are not actually that similar.
Dinosaur Jr. has proven with past releases that they are capable of covering more sonic ground than they do on "Farm."
Even in their earlier period, which has been cited by musicians and critics as extremely groundbreaking and influential, Dinosaur Jr. was never particularly concerned with pushing the envelope. Their music has always been characterized by a strong feeling of nostalgia for the glory days of classic rock. Moreso than any other band in the 1980s, Dinosaur Jr. proved that instrumental chops and straightforward rock n' roll was not purely the domain of appalling hair metal bands.
Since their reunion in 2005, Dinosaur Jr. has been fulfilling this role more than adequately, expanding on an already respectable discography. Hopefully, their next release will deliver a few more surprises along with the quality songwriting listeners have come to expect.
Eric Shaprio is a sophomore who loves rock music in all its forms. You may see him around campus in a band t-shirt listening to his iPod and looking friendly.