Bug

In the genre list on Wikipedia, it lists noise rock. And that it is. Just noise. This album sounds like the singer is crying over loud and annoying instrumentals.

They sound like a bad high school band. I like “sloppy” punk rock - but only when it’s intentional. This seems like just poor execution of mediocre songs.

This is one of those times when my rating is probably going to be more generous than is warranted. J Mascis sometimes seems to have trouble carrying a tune, unless that's an affectation. Who knows? The hit of the album, Freak Scene, is so simple, there is almost nothing to it. But honestly, this album hits my critical blind spot. I enjoy the casual nature of Mascis' vocals--it doesn't sound like he's trying to convince you of anything--he's just sharing his thoughts. And I find his blend of noise, rock, and pop appealing. The music on Bug rocks, it has plenty of texture, and it has a warmth that is missing from a band like Sonic Youth. And a funny thing--Mascis also makes me appreciate Neil Young a little more. Mascis has taken Young's blundering experiments with guitar noise and refined them almost beyond recognition. Like Young, Mascis doesn't have a lot of technical ability, but unlike Young, he's very talented at coaxing out a wide palette of sounds from his guitar. It's also pretty clear that Mascis also served as inspiration (along with Young) for Built To Spill's Doug Marsch, another wonderful guitarist. Guys like Mascis and Doug Marsch make the pioneering nature of Neil Young's experiments with noise obvious, even if they kind of sucked (sorry, Brian). In that way, Young's a little like Lou Reed, in that he's inspired a ton of wonderful music. But I'm getting sidetracked. I'm 90% through Bug and beneath all the noise, it turns out that the songwriting is actually pretty sturdy. I've also got to put in a good word for the band, which matches the ferocity of Mascis' guitar work. How to rate? Well, occasionally, the noise elements are overwhelming, but overall, Bug is surprisingly strong and consistent.

The album was not that good and progressively got worse.

Noise rock and out of key vocals. Dissonance isn't my thing, I guess. Less rock, more cringe for me.

calm down sir

Consistently sloppy with a particularly abrasive end.

There's something just not right about late 80s alternative rock that doesn't come from Seattle. It's like while Nirvana and Mudhoney were based on punk, and Soundgarden/AIC metal, bands like this were rooted in whiny, jangly, shoegazey, cynical "nothing fucking matters anyway" garage nerd rock. It has its moments where it almost rocks, but still has that distinctly "not Seattle indie" vibe. I think the core problem is it hates itself, but can't channel it well. It's like a depressed kid's assignment. 2/5.

Dinosaur Jr. were buddies with all my favourite bands growing up (Sonic Youth wrote ‘Teenage Riot’ about J Mascis) but I was never really a big fan of J Mascis’s voice back in the day. I found it a bit too whiny for my tastes. However, I stumbled across one of his solo albums about five years ago and it became my surprise album of the year. I’d not gone back to the Dinosaur stuff until now though. I enjoyed this album far more listening back to it with a bit of distance and also feeling like I can appreciate his voice a bit more after listening to his solo stuff. More variation than I’d remembered too. On a slightly related note, I used to play bass (badly) in a band a few years back and we would end each gig with a different cover. By chance, the last song at the last gig we ever played was ‘Freakscene’ by Dinosaur Jr. so, as fate would have it, it’s a song from this album that will ring forever in the ears of the tiny handful of friends and relatives who were present. For that reason, I’m bumping this up from a three and a half to a four.

didn't enjoy this, it just sounded like noise to me

9. Bug - Dinosaur Jr. 10 tracks. Not to my tastes at all. If you like a poor quality Foo Fighters meeting a tone-deaf Nirvana on a bad day with some background White Noise then this is definitely for you. Track 9 is called \"Don't\" which I assume stands for Don't listen 1/5.

"Bug" is the third studio album by Massachusetts alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. Alternative rock, indie rock and indie rock are the named genres. It was the last album with bassist Lou Barlow until he came back to the band in 2007. Besides Barlow, other members of Dinosaur Jr. include lead singer/guitarist J Mascus and drummer Murph. The album received critical acclaim including a most interesting 8.9999999 rating out of 10 by NME. A melodic guitar and then bam! The bass and guitar kick in and they're soaring with "Freak Scene." The song ebbs and flows with soft and loud dynamics. Two monster guitar solos by Mascis harkening Neil Young meets Sonic Youth meets Bob Mould. You do hear a lot of monster solos throughout this album. Mascis' vocals define "slacker" rock. I think this is simply about two friends who don't want a romantic relationship since it will ruin their current friendship. "No Bones" features some real melodic bass by Barlow. This is slower but again speeds up in spots. Distorted guitar. "They Always Come" brings the punk. This fast and hard. Some more fantastic bass and drumming along with Mascis' distorted and feedback-riddled guitar. "Let It Ride" continues the fast and hard. You got to like the intensity these guys bring. And we get a bass solo along with a few guitar ones. They slow it up a bit on "Pond Song" and add an acoustic and layered guitars. Great drumming. The album ends with a wah-wah guitar going into "Don't." Barlow just screaming likes he's dying "Why Don't You Like Me" for five minutes. This song would not have been out of place on Hüsker Dü's "Zen Arcade." This was a big album for me when it came out. I used to just play the hard/fast songs which seemed to alternate throughout the album. I guess I've mellowed since I found a lot to like in the"so-called" slower songs. I don't know what I was listening to at the time to think those "other'" songs soft? Mascis guitar is just fantastic with his distortion, feedback and multiple solos within each song. One of the other things I realized on this listen was how good the bass and drumming is. This is a band. They need to be to keep up with Mascis. This album and music is connected to the prior music of Neil Young, Hüsker Dü, and Sonic Youth to what the future music would be in shoegaze and grunge. Yes, I like this album and so should you!

Seen enough to eye you But I've seen to much to try you It's always weirdness while you Dig it much too much to fry you The weirdness flows between us Anyone can tell to see us Freak scene just can't believe us Why can't it just be cool and free us? Seen enough to eye you But I've seen to much to try you It's always weirdness while you Dig it much too much to fry you The weirdness flows between us Anyone can tell to see us Freak scene just can't believe us Why can't it just be cool and leave us? It's so fucked I can't believe it If there's a way I wish we'd see it How could it work just can't conceive it Oh what a mess it's just to leave it Sometimes I don't thrill you Sometimes I think I'll kill you Just don't let me fuck up will you 'cause when I need a friend it's still you What a mess

freak scene go hard

Bug is not Dinosaur Jr.'s best, but it has all the hallmarks of the band that would influence 90s alternative and grunge. The overdriven guitars, driving drums, and forceful vocal delivery are all present, along with J Mascis's emphasis on the guitar solo. It's probably closer to a three, but due to the influence of this band and bridging classic and alternative rock, I think a four is in order.

Loved it. Really raw and melancholic, at times angry, but always with a fun uplifting edge. So glad I've discovered this

This album was fucking good. I need to listen to more Dinosaur Jr.

Well. How the hell were they supposed to follow up You're Living All Over Us? This isnt as good, but its damn close to a 5.

Yeah, that's some noise alright.

Not a good album, and not a good representation of dinosaur jr or the genre. Begs the question - Who the fuck is making this list? 1/5

Please. We've been through this. Dino Jr AGAIN?

Eh. Everyone is just annoyed at everything. "Freak Scene" is good. "Pond Song", "Budge" is decent. Mostly noise.

I might need to reevaluate some things… I always preferred I’m Living All Over You to Bug, but listening today, I’m not so sure I feel that way any more. Sure, “I’m All Over You” is bombastic; a sonic kick in the teeth, if you will. There’s something about “Bug” today, though: it’s a little more cleanly produced and the production is layered, more in depth. It feels a little more in line with where Dinosaur Jr. would go in the following years. Fuck it, I’ll just give them both 5 stars.

The peak of the mountain of "smoking weed out of an apple" music. I don't think there will ever be another record label as cool as early-mid 80s SST.

This is a strong album from Dinosaur Jr. displaying everything that makes their sound unique: the noisy guitars in which you can drown, that come in contrast with nonchalant vocals from J Mascis and his insane solos. These guys seems to be totally laid back but they're actually technically quite good, but with no show off, they're just doing it casually. More than 35 years later, it does not sound out-dated.

I love this band. This is one of there best albums too, more straightforward rock than the previous albums but still a lotta noise. So happy to see it on the list.

Fantastic album! Nobody plays guitar like J Mascis. I love a record that can have a melodic indie pop-like tune like Freak Scene and an equally great angry-emo screamer like Don’t.

Dinosaur Jr.'s album Bug, the last featuring original bassist Lou Barlow (until his reunion with J in the 00s) is a captivating journey into alternative rock. Freak Scene emerges as a masterpiece, setting the stage for the iconic guitar solos that define this record. The band's chemistry is evident, and it's intriguing to learn that Lou thinks they were still figuring things out during the recording. If this is them in the process, it's exciting to imagine what they'll create once fully figured out. J Mascis's guitar work is iconic, adding emotional layers to the album. Bug captures a band pushing boundaries and experimenting with their sound, creating a dynamic musical landscape. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 7 STAND OUT TRACK - Freak Scene

Five stars all the way. It's unfair, I guess, because it's an album I've listened to at least five million times and I love every part of. I remember buying this when I was visiting family in Leeds and they had a Virgin Megastore. It's pretty much calibrated for one side of me. Loud but fragile, often feeling ready to fall apart. It's beautiful. I still skip that last song though!

Would be nice if the list contains a few more Dinosaur Jr albums, but otherwise this is an excellent choice. One of the best Dinosaur Jr albums: perfect songwriting (Let It Ride, Budge, etc) + perfect guitar playing + perfect sound = 5 *****.

Every review of this complaining about how noisy sloppy and out of tune it is - yeah it is, and that's why it's good. Stop being such nerds.

Had this one on cassette back when it was new. Freak Scene is one of the best songs of the 80s. The rest of this is good too. I've always had a soft spot for Don't.

good ol' j. mascis. i hadn't realized lou barlow and he started out together - neet!

Bug Looking back I seem to have quite enjoyed You’re Living All Over Me, and I feel similarly about this. J Mascis is not the strongest vocalist, but he has a laid back, slackery charm to his vocals that suit the songs and overall vibe. He also does interesting stuff on the guitar, and despite the noise there are plenty of nuanced variations and touches which pull this out of the morass of US noise/alt rock, like the wah on Yeah We Know, the spacey slide guitar on Let it Ride and the acoustic on Pond Song There are some good songs, Freak Scene is great, you can see why it’s their most famous song, No Bones has a nice bit of swing to it, They Always Come is nicely plaintive, Budge has a nice chorus and Let it Ride. The less said about Don’t the better though. Overall it’s a decent noisy guitar album, with some good songs, good drums and some great guitar moments. I’d happily give it a listen again if in the right mood, a solid 3. 🪲🪲🪲 Playlist submission: Freak Scene

Like the last Dinosaur Jr. album the list threw up, I find the overall style/sound agreeable, but it doesn't seem particularly memorable. If it came out 10 years later it certainly wouldn't warrant inclusion on the list, but was it remarkable in 1988? I don't know, though given it's not dissimilar to their 1987 album, probably not. Still, it's a decent album with a nice drawing of a bug on the front. I'll live and let live.

Well that was an unremarkable but acceptable 2 until the final song. Dinosaur Sr I think you should give this kid a hug.

I do like you

I love dinosaurs

Love it. Biggest regret is only having You're Living All Over Me scored at 4/5 here instead of 5/5, it's become one of my favorite albums. 4.5/5

Not their best, but even not their best is amazing and a solid example of why Dinosaur Jr is one of my favorite bands and J Mascis is one of my guitar idols. Glad this was included on this list. Hope more DJR is.

If the Nirvana available isn't enough Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr.

The sound is so good I don't even care about the voice. Amazing sound, such diversity of song writing, genius.

Another Dinosaur Jr album, another 5 stars. Freak Scene is just brilliant.

Really nice noisy album for waiting for my parents to arrive

I've listened to Where You Been before and I liked it enough so going into this album I was expecting to give it a 3 or 4. But I don't know, I guess this was what I needed to listen to today, because I really enjoyed it. It is a lot more noisy than I expected (and I love noise rock). I also think that J Mascis' voice suits this album very well, and it provides a very interesting texture and emotion. The songs are pretty simple, but I think that it works in it's advantage. I absolutely understand why people don't like this album, but I think it is very good.

Amazing album!

Know it, love it. Like a more tender and vulnerable sounding Sonic Youth in a way. Just a warm and lovely listen IMHO.

Never really listened to Dinosaur Jr. but this is an excellent rock album.

One of my favorite albums of all time. So happy to see it on the list. Great rock album

Love this album and the contrasts from songs like Freak Scene and Don’t

Perfection.

Noisy indie rock. I'd never gone deep on Dinosaur Jr. I really liked this album.

I really like Dinosaur Jr. and this is one of their best albums. Really good stuff and I was glad to listen to it again!

9/10. I liked this a lot better than the other Dino Jr album we've had

Heck yeah. Dinosaur Jr is great. I saw them at a Lollapalooza in '93 and again in '17 with my son. They've been a favourite for a long time. For me this album is about 4th or 5th best of theirs. But I really like most of their albums. I really like J's solo stuff too.

I really dug this, cracking alt rock album. I know it's 80s but it has that early 90s proto-grunge feel to it. Great stuff

This one was GREAT!!! Added.

Between pavement and Nirvana, between lo-fi Blur and At the drive in. Great, tricky to see where it could be improved. Slightly odd to read that the band didn't really like it

Duh. No brainer

More familiar with the later, Where You Been, which was a seminal CD for me in which I can remember when I first heard it, with who and the apartment we lived in at the time. Great music can take you back that way and keep it preserved there for eternity. Not sure that I had ever heard this one in its entirety but it is wonderful in the same way. I’ve always thought sometimes too much Dinosaur Jr. all at once is more than most people can handle. I’m sure in my consecutive plays if Where You Been, I could shut it down after two songs. DJr. can pack a lot into two songs.

- Sick garage rock sound - Sounds very modern for an 80s record - Immaculate vibes - 4.5- rounded up yolo - Favorite songs: Budge, No Bones, Pond Song

So happy to see my favorite Dino Jr. album popping up here… just them this and album and them as a whole.

Great album of a band who brought the lead guitar back to the indie rock forefront, alongside The Pixies

9/10 I’m a fan of indie and hard rock this was a nice fun album almost sounded like a pre-90s grunge

Još jedan album bez kojeg je nemoguće zamislit devedesete. Skoro bolji od youre living all over me

I am a big fan of this band throughout the many stages of their long career. This is something interesting for anyone who likes rock.

the best!

I like dinosaur jr, they have some good songs. This album wasn’t amazing, but I liked parts of it. The end was pretty ass unfortunately

I've heard their last album prior to this one. Enjoyed it, but never retuned to it. Generally a fan of the genre. Freak Scene. Energy of the track contrasts with the downturned attitude of the vocals. Guitar sounds crunchy with a nice distortion effect. Good solo. Shoegazy. Strong opener 4.5/5 No Bones Flat drums. Interesting riff. Slightly whiny vocals, works fine. Acustic guitar is a nice addition. Noisy. Vocals disappear a bit at the end. 4/5 They Always Come I really can't hear what the vocalist is singing on the first verse. Subtly solid drum performance. Great distortion, the droning guitars are beautiful to listen to. Solid. 4/5 Yeah we Know Loud. Low energy. Structured well into the instrumental bit. Overstays its welcome. Lacking in variation. 3/5 Let it right Punky opening riff. Ambivalent about the writing on the track, the repetitiveness doesn't impress. The really loud pair of guitars at the end marks an exlosive final third elevating the song. 3.5/5 Pond Song An entirely different vibe to start. The guitars contrast well against each other. The serene guitar playing cut by the agressive riffing of the other guitar makes for a pretty cool effect. Decent. 3.5/5 Budge Getting straight into it with some great layering of the distorted guitars. The bass is more prevalent here, almost post-punky in its execution. Strong chorus. Good. 3.8/5 The Post Dark, gothic to start. Great chorus. Post chorus breakdown bookmarks it well. Ebbs and flows. Explosive. Muted drums again. Good. 3.8/5 Don't Great guitar effects. Screaming vocals add a lot to the distortion of the track. Some different energy to the vocals is welcome. Noisy. Some nice melodies buried beneath. I'm enjoying the aggression here. Ends in an explosion of sound. All round great track. 4.2/5 Keep the Glove Vocals start a bit rough. A bit more upbeat instrumentation. Shoegazey loud guitars close the album well. Decent closer. 3.5/5 Liked it quite a bit. Think there were some rough parts but overall enjoyable. Did a great job of making each song sound different from each other with a limited spectrum of sonic ideas. Fave track. Freak Scene Least fave track. Yeah we Know

Like it, just not enough to love it. Very 90s alter rock scene vibe, with some classic effects. It's the type of music that I like to hear. Riffs are sick. No miss (yet no unexpectedly stunning track either, which is a bit weird to me). I enjoy listening to this album, that's for sure. Love "No Bones", the guitar a bit more messy, almost shoegazing. A clear 4/5. It's good.

February 8, 2025 Me during most of Bug: :) Me during "Don't": 😨 Me during bonus track, "Keep the Glove": :) Dinosaur Jr. is one of those bands I've flip-flopped on the most. You're Living All Over Me (1987) was one of the earlier albums on the list, first heard in June of 2022. I was indifferent on its low-fi experiments and intense distortion then, but about a year later I put it on for a lark and was surprised how *good* it sounded. It was like finally seeing the Magic Eye picture, whereas before it was just colour and noise. In February 2023, I listened to Sebadoh for the first time, a band that found its origins in Dinosaur Jr. through former bassist Lou Barlow. Once again I had mixed feelings on its brand of alt-rock, though roughly a year after THAT, I clearly thought fondly enough of Bubble and Scrape (1993) to buy it when I found it in a used music shop. And now, Bug (1988) falls into my lap, and I don't have to work to appreciate it anymore :0 The downside is, I don’t expect a year-delayed revelation; the slightly cleaner guitars compared to the previous 🦖 means I could put this on in more general situations, but I haven’t really learned anything about the band that I didn’t already realize. Except that they were perhaps gunning for a real hit (“Freak Scene”) HL: “Freak Scene”, “No Bones”, “Let it Ride”

I genuinely think if they didn't include "Don't" on this album, the average rating would go up an entire star. I was surprised to see all the hate until I got there, and I did skip it. Not a good final impression for the album. The rest of the album is like a 4.5/5 though. It was really good

Not their best album, in my opinion, but such a great band that even a lesser album ranks a **** in my book.

Enjoyed

pretty solid rock, feels like a more metal midwest emo style.

3.5/5 This is a chill enjoyable listen, if not groundbreaking. I don't think I'm going to return to Don't, even if I can respect it. Freak Scene 4.5/5 No Bones 3.5/5 They Always Come 5/5 (FAV) Yeah We Know 3/5 Let It Ride 4/5 Pond Song 4/5 Budge 3.5/5 The Post 3/5 (LEAST FAV) Don't 3.5/5

This album is at least 8 or 10 years ahead of its time. If I would have had to guess what year without knowing I think I would’ve said at least 1996. Great alternative sound on most of the tracks except a couple that are a little harder and more punky. Most songs remind me of Our Lady Peace mixed with Foo Fighters or something similar. If I would’ve found this album and band in the early 2000s when I was listening to this type stuff it would’ve been on repeat for a while.

Some elements of Pixies, lots of cool solos, Favourite songs: freak scene, they always come, yeah we know, let it ride, budge, the post. Overall around 8/10

This is the alternative 80s/90s rock that I love! Guitar was absolutely shredding throughout, sometimes to a fault, overshadowing the vocals. But not to point where any song wasn't fun to listen to. Was not familiar with Dinosaur Jr. before, although I have come to realize "Feel the Pain" was on Rock Band 2! Funny this album is not a favorite of theirs, I'm curious to see how their sound changes.

4.5 stars. Sounds ahead of it's time (1988). Driving lead guitar, punchy/catchy drumming. Fairly noisy/grungy, but not overly so. Standouts are "Freak Scene", "They Always Come", "Budge", "The Post" good. Only letdown is "Don't", screaming vocals too much.

Este disco lo tengo en vinilo comprado cuando salió a la venta. Había escuchado alguna canción en la radio y con eso me bastó. Cuando se lo presté o lo escuchaban en mi casa no le gustaba a nadie. A los heavies el cantante no les convencía, a los poperos las guitarras les superaban. Este disco y el Dr. Doolittle para mi son la puerta de entrada adelantada al grunge que luego vino y tanto disfruté. El comienzo con Freak Scene es toda una declaración de principios. Hoy en día el disco puede no significar mucho, pero en 1988!!! Apuntaos al menos "Freak Scene", "They Always Come", "Let It Ride" y "Pond Song".

This was another one of those albums that feels like the lesser know influencer of a genre. You can hear a lot of inspiration for future Alt Rock bands throughout the run of the this album. I had a good time listening to it, and I will likely try giving it another listen at some point in the future.

Freak Scene is better than any song on You’re Living All Over Me, but after hearing both in the same week I think Bug falls short. It’s still great but doesn’t do quite as much. And “Don’t” is really unpleasant. But man, what an opener.

Good alternative/indie rock. Some screaming guitar work.

Another raucous offering from Dinosaur Jr., this time with a quite surprising amount of hooks poking their heads out of the sludge. It’s still lo-fi and noisy but feels a bit more structured in terms of the songwriting and more considered about when and when not to lean into the noisiness than their earlier work. That being said, I really appreciate J. Mascis’ commitment to vibes over ego, as there is some genuinely fantastic guitar soloing on here (especially in closing track Don’t) that is almost incomprehensible through the harsh vocals and droning feedback

A more poished sounding album than the raw energy of When You're Living All Over Me. But still plenty of stinging guitar bits that are Mascis' trademark. The songs are a little more melodic, a little more refined. All makes for a more accessible album that reveals plenty ofnuances with each listen. About as good as indie-guitar rock gets. 4 stars

Very enjoyable plinky vibes

Doesn’t have the same indie guitar heroics of the later Dinosaur albums but still a great record.

That's a jam for sure. Does it stand out? I guess in 1988 it did.

it's noisy and loud and brash and loud. i love it, your honor.

I expect that this isn’t to everyone’s liking, but I really enjoy that late 80s lofi/college rock sound. Along with Pixies, Sonic Youth, and Meat Puppets, Dinosaur Jr were one of the biggest influences on the 90s alt rock explosion. It’s worth your time to give it multiple listens, especially through a decent pair of headphones.

Very Sonic Youth-y, and maybe a bit too Sonic Youth-y listless noise rock in places. But it's easy to forget that this kind of music was bubbling under until Nirvana brought it to a boil.

Another solid entry from these. Like the first one, gives 4 or so tracks are really solid, after which it wobbles down a bit. Very similar to the previous release, whilst not necessarily a bad thing I guess one criticism is they could have branched out more. Still, an enjoyable listen.

I remember enjoying a Dinosaur Jr. album in the late 00s or early 2010s. I had no idea that band had already been around for 25 years by that point. Funnily enough, the sound was instantly recognizable even though I never got super into the band. All in all, I enjoyed this one. The wall of sound noise rock, the garbled/lofi vocals, the shredding guitar. It was pretty good. There were definitely a couple of tracks I didn't like as much (the penultimate song was way too screamo for me and very hard on the ears) but overall this is a solid album. Is it a "must hear"? Probably not. 3.5

I remember hearing Dinosaur Jr. mentioned as an influence by bands I listened to in High School - and I definitely hear that influence on this record. This probably would have changed my life if I had listened to it back then. I still really liked the album, "Freak Scene" and "No Bones" are killer opening tracks, and the rest of the album is enjoyable (except for maybe the last track).

I quite liked this one. It lacks a massive Feel the Pain-esque single, though the opening track is clearly the winner here. Dinosaur Jr. are really in their groove here, with solid, powerful music and curious lyrics to bring everything together. They sound rough around the edges (in a good way) and like a bit stew of grungy, indie, lo-fi emotion. I dig it. favorites: freak scene, no bones, yeah we know, let it ride, budge

T Rox. B fly. Didn’t always hold my attention, but when it did I liked it

Have seen the name and given these guys a chance a few times, but never clicked. Still found this pretty challenging on the first listen, but liked it more after listening a bit more closely to J’s guitar work. Agree that it feels like the bones are there for an even better band if they would take the foot off the gas every now and then. Way better than Sonic Youth but not as good as The Replacements. Wouldn’t put this in my top tier, just based on listenability, but happy I dug a little deeper on them and would be interested to hear more. The spinoff band Sebadoh, is much more my speed. More melodic, better dynamics and song structure, though doesn’t have the same guitar power. Their Album Bakesale was on my regular rotation more than 10 years ago - had forgot about them until now - time for a revisit.

I’d like to imagine my introduction to Dinosaur Jr. was similar to many people my age. Playing Skate 3, cycling through the music player and deciding which songs I wanted to keep and which to omit. I’m sure at that age when Almost Ready, the opening track to their 2007 album Beyond, came on, I probably turned it off. I don’t know if I was really capable of handling something that blown out. But I also enjoyed the Pixies song they had and most of the heavy metal tracks, so who really knows my reasoning? Only as I’ve gotten older have I gone back to that soundtrack and realized who that band was. And I’m glad their presence is on this list, no matter how much they get shit on by the average person. I guess I can understand that to the ears of the unaccustomed, this sounds horrible. Just plain noise with no real purpose. But considering the year this released, this album is huge. Few bands have made such a massive impact on the growth of alternative rock like my bloody valentine has. But Dinosaur Jr. is one of them. If there is anyone who loves his guitar pedals more than Kevin Shields, it’s J Mascis. Such an interesting frontman too. I saw it described by someone as “singing from your heart despite not being able to sing at all.” Which I love. It’s incredibly endearing. And any sane, non-biased fan of this band will tell you that admittedly Mascis can’t really sing. But I like his voice, no matter how much dissonance it really creates. Since this is Dinosaur Jr. though, what I really came here for is the guitars. And man, they are way more kick-ass than I ever could have imagined. All that I’ve heard about Mascis and his songwriting capabilities make sense to me now. The man is an expert at writing incredibly wild and captivating lead bits and solos that make every song a unique experience. As far as I’m concerned, the first four songs on the A-side is some of the most flawless sounding noise rock I’ve ever heard in my life. The rest of the album is solid too. Aside from maybe the closing track, which is almost alarmingly loud, and really puts the noise in “noise rock”. I’m really happy I enjoyed this as much as I did, because it makes me considerably more excited to hear what their previous album has to offer. Rating: 8/10

7.5/10. There is a really dreamy vibe to the guitars. The vocals are tender, but a little bit irritating at times. The drums are cool. I enjoy the overall dissonance. However, I wish that there was more deviation between songs. :)