Dinosaur Jr.

Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not (The Label)

High calibre rock music is an anomaly in 2016. Slow to develop, the genre is held back by constrained traditional conventions, not to mention old school narrow minded fans.

As a result the music universe, both pop and alternative, has seen an onslaught of highly produced electronic oriented artists in the last decade. But Dinosaur Jr prove crunchy and catchy rock can still be effective with a sound that’s authentic and punchy. The three piece have always been known for an eclectic mix of noise and melody and Give a Glimpse is no different.

Mainman J Mascis still has great vocal work that’s not cheesy or over the top alongside fretwork that’s dextrous without being pretentious.

Goin Down and Tiny feel like classic Dinosaur Jr with charismatic and upbeat walls of sound. The now aged 50 Mascis has always been a great soloist and there’s plenty here with many stunning leads. But this LP struggles to carry impact from start to finish with a few obvious fillers. Still Dinosaur prove a wide appeal. Longtime fans will love the classic elements where as younger alternative rock listeners will be sure to enjoy the noise and melody concoction. The Massachusetts’ group have always possessed an upbeat energy and this is still present. With a plethora of overly produced music in 2016, Dinosaur Jr’s raw and garage aesthetic is refreshing even if it is at times insipid. –