Review: Dinosaur Jr. – Farm
Dinosaur Jr. – Farm (2009) [Jagjaguwar] // Grade: B
I hate to sound like one of those guys in his 50′s or even 60′s going on endlessly about how good some new Dylan or Springsteen album is, and how the old man’s still got it. But you & I that “it” that they’ve still got isn’t remotely the same “it” they once had unless you’re grasping at straws for some sign that you too can stay forever young and relevant via proxy. Yet here I sit in conflict with those same clichéd feelings towards this new Dinosaur Jr. album.
If you’re like me then Beyond caught you completely by surprise. So unlike that album, Farm doesn’t have the luxury of sneaking up on you, so expectations are high. But once again Farm is no less a profound statement that this once (and obviously still) mighty band hasn’t lost a step. Fitting nicely amongst such early classics as Bug and You’re Living All Over Me, Farm (Like Beyond) resonates the sort of urgency that makes you wonder if this is in fact a new Dinosaur Jr. album or some thing they vaulted in the late 80s. Maybe it’s just me though and I’ve turned into one of those dudes painfully looking for signs that youth and relevancy aren’t fleeting OR maybe J. Mascis is still every bit the slacker Guitar god he always was and whatever mid-life crisis he & Barlow’s are having is turning into some amazing mid-life rock. Your call really but either way let’s at least agree that the cover art is fucking awesome!
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:58 pm
I need to give this a listen. I stopped listening to Dino Jr. after Bug, although I did see them a few times before and after…live the do kill and I’d pay money just to see Mascis stomp all over that wonderfully giant board of pedals for his gee-tar. And effin’ loud…shit, my hearing blew out too many times at the shows. Sweet memories.
June 22nd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
dino jr is playing at music hall of williamsburg on the 25th. havent seen em live in something like 15 years so this should be a real treat.