At the forefront of the noise scene for four decades, the American trio travels through the ages while staying true to its ferocious and swift foundations.
Masters of distortion, feedback, and tattered riffs, the Americans of Dinosaur Jr. have been operating since 1984 for a particular vision of alternative rock. Their division, from 1997 to 2005, ultimately represents only a tiny interlude on the vast, elephantine arc of their career, which has inspired several generations of musicians hooked on shredded guitars—from Kurt Cobain to Kurt Vile, spanning grunge to slacker rock.
Beyond that aura of legend, how has the power trio adapted to the 2020s? Their secret is straightforward: stay firmly anchored in what they do best, never deviating an inch from their signature sound, without stagnating or sliding into nostalgia.
A Noise Level Still at Its Peak
As late August arrives, with the release of their thirteenth album, There Near, singer and guitarist J Mascis, bassist and occasional vocalist Lou Barlow (also a hero in Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion), and drummer Murph (simply Murph) have crossed the 60-year mark, yet manage to reclaim the raw roar of their youth the moment they lay hands on their instruments.
The three companions just marked, in February, the 35th anniversary of their cult classic Green Mind, but they do not slide into self-congratulation over a glorious past. They prefer to forge something new, as shown by their eleven fresh tracks that reach the ferocious level of racket found on their earlier records. Crafted in J Mascis’s Bisquiteen studio, nestled in Amherst, Massachusetts, There Near welcomes an additional musician, Ken Mauri, contributing subtle keyboard textures at a few discreet moments.
All of the recording reportedly took place last year, though it could as easily have been shaped in the 1990s or the late eighties—Dinosaur Jr. blurs the lines and thus becomes timeless.
On two occasions, to introduce a touch of variability, you can hear Lou Barlow’s engaging voice on Blowin’ Up and No One’s Ready, less shredded, more melodic, with lyrics that carve deep gashes. It is one of music’s miracles: turning reserved, placid individuals into raging youths who rediscover the sap of their own youth through their instruments. Dinosaurs seemingly far from extinction.
There Near (Jagjaguwar/Modulor). Release on August 28.
