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Aug 04, 2016 Web Exclusive By Matthew Berlyant

To say that fans were surprised when the original lineup of Dinosaur Jr. reunited in 2005 to support Merge’s reissues of their classic work would be a massive understatement given the past resentments between guitarist J Mascis and bassist Lou Barlow that led to their initial breakup after their third album, 1988’s Bug. Fast forward 11 years and the reunion has lasted almost four times as long as their initial period as a band (not counting the records Mascis made mainly on his own under the Dinosaur Jr. name in the 1990s). While none of their three previous albums match the stratospheric highs of Dinosaur, You’re Living All Over Me, or Bug, they’re all quite good in their own right and that trend continues with this record as well. By now, the format is pretty much set in stone. Unlike in their earliest days when Barlow would sometimes sing songs Mascis wrote, Dinosaur Jr. has long been primarily an outlet for Mascis with Barlow firmly ensconced in a supporting role. His sole contributions (the searing “Love Is…” and album closer “Left/Right”) feel more like outtakes from his recent work with Sebadoh and they are two of the highlights here. Of course, this is Mascis’ show and he brings the raw, loud riff rock that he’s known for on the rest of the tracks here. Highlights include the opener “Goin’ Down” (with its pummeling, memorable riff), first single “Tiny” (reminiscent of “The Wagon” from 1991’s Green Mind), and the heartbroken “Lost All Day.” Overall, while they’re not reinventing the wheel here, this is a very enjoyable album and their best work since 2007’s Beyond. (www.dinosaurjr.com)

Author rating: 7.5/10