Dinosaur Jr. - Beyond

The new Dinosaur Jr. CD is a total throwback… THROWBACK TO AWESOMENESS!!!! Yes, Dinosaur Jr. is releasing their first album in 10 years, and their first album with all the original members since 1988. With their egos in check and dollar signs in their eyes, J. Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph have decided to let bygones be bygones and have joined together to release the wonderful album “Beyond.” There are no real surprises here, other than the fact that they still sound great. The songs are very distinctly Dino-like, with hooks and deafening loudness still being the main ingredients. J. Mascis’ insanely unfathomable guitar playing is the highlight of the album for me, allowing even the most mediocre of songs to rise to unparalleled heights. The first single, “Almost Ready,” sounds like classic DJ, the electric guitar immediately commanding your attention, and, although sounding vaguely familiar, catchy nonetheless. “Pick Me Up” is their epic track this time around, with another wicked guitar crunchy solo towards the end. “Been There All The Time” is another single from the album, and it relies on the stop-start pattern that the band had mastered back in their heyday. There are also a couple of Barlow tracks, and they’re good but basically forgettable when listened to within the context of the raunchy Mascis songs.

The album is officially released on May 1. They play The Phoenix on June 8^th, 2007.

Download:
Almost Ready mp3

Dinosaur Jr. on myspace.
Purchase the CD “Beyond” over at Fat Possum Records.