I’m not gonna bore ya with a bullshit intro, so lets get right down to business. “Almost Ready” starts things off with some pretty dainty layers of noisy guitar. Not miraculous by any means, but not a bad beginning nonetheless. “Crumble” crushes the energy level at first but the dynamics are such that it comes back bigger and better in several spots. “Pick Me Up” has got that signature Lou Barlow bass timbre, although it should have been hard-pressed a little further up the mix. The J. Mascis guitar solo is astonishing for about 45 seconds and then starts wearing out it’s welcome half way in. It eventually becomes this colossal wankfest. Even when the bridge crescendo keyboard/guitar effects whatever-you-wanna call it comes through at the end this idiot is still noodling all over the place. “Back To Your Heart” is Barlow tuneage that is easily up to SEBADOH’s “Bakesale” standards. It clearly shows the listener who the better songsmith here is. “This Is All I Came to Do” kills the vibe that Barlow set up so well. Here is where they should have just put in another Barlow composition. This one blows monkey balls as does the follow up“Been There All The Time”. This one could have been decent if it were not for the guitar wank competing with the lead vocal (a misguided procedure that made the post “Green Mind” material practically unlistenable).

Already past the halfway point and “It’s Me” is about the only Mascis composition here that comes even close to the second and third albums. It’s just too bad that it was not faded out before the second superfluous solo and surplus chorus. “We’re Not Alone” really reveals J.’s non laureate vocal performance way too up close and personal. Why this was not rectified by some harmony backups is anyone’s guess (especially when that cool bridge of the song commences).“I Got Lost” is definitely an interesting change of pace. It’s swirly psychedelia sets it apart. Acoustic guitar, tribal drums, falsetto vocals and droning cello (or is it a mellotron) make this poles apart from anything the original group has concocted. “Lightning Bulb” is Barlow’s only other contribution here. More than his first tune this has the Dinosaur JR vibe. It is also the only tune here that his bass jumps out of the speakers the way it did all throughout “Your Living All Over Me” and “Bug”. It’s moody effects laden guitar solo is also a nice change of pace. The album ends with more Mascis middle-of-the road mediocrity with another song that has him soloing over his vocal parts. “What If I Knew” could have been better if it were not for this.

I don’t know why Lou Barlow bothered with this batch. Basswise this could have been anyone else. His input is hardly felt here overall. Even with the layers of guitar tracks, the bass should have come out in the mix much more. His noisy tapes and sampled snippets that helped make classic tuneage like “Raisens” and “In A Jar” all the more amazing are completely gone. And while we are on the subject of noise, where the fuck is the wah pedal? A huge part of J. Mascis’s appeal as a guitarist was his use of the wah. Not just in the solos but as noisy texture throughout the presentation. I will say that his guitar tone here is nice and thick. The rhythms are chunky and the leads sound perfect. The problem with the leads are that there is just either too many of them or that some of them are just way too long. Contrasting guiterrorists like say JIMI HENDRIX, RITCHIE BLACKMORE, CASPER BROTZMANN or NELS CLINE, Mascis’s lead work is only inspiring for so long. After a while he sounds as if he is just grasping for notes after the best has been depleted. His best is quite impressive, however. Murph’s drumming has improved dramatically since the old days. He’s much more solid, technical and tight. Although I will say that his old looser feel was less slick and added to the controlled chaos of the band’s earlier music, it’s also a treat to hear him play with this type of precision.

This may not be the perfect Dinosaur JR record, but it’s still nice to see the band back with it’s original lineup. Not one of their classics but it’s at least as good (or maybe better) than “Green Mind” and “Beyond” is way beyond those that succeeded it. Hopefully the next one will be better. If not, there is always that SEBADOH reunion possibility around the corner. I kind of wonder which lineup that would be (Gaffney or Fay), but that’s another story.

- Herring

OFFICIAL SITE: http://dinosaurjr.com/

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