Dinosaur Jr : " Give a Glimpse of What You're Not"

I have had a respect for this band , but I am stuck on the one afternoon, I went to Criminal Records too high to be in public and J Mascis was playing an it  was just to much for me. They come back strong and rocking out of the gate. It sounds like a slacker version of the Foo-fighters holding no aspirations of gaining radio play and more power to them for this attitude. They surprised me on the first song, but will they be able to hold the momentum is what I wonder during the jangle of the second song. They let up on the attack in favor of a more garage like sound, that still holds hints of the more sonic barrage of alternative rock this band is known for. I'm o.k with them letting up off the gas for the more introspective "Be a Part". Both J Mascis' voice and guitar playing sound great on this song. There is a grunge like ramble that fights against the twang of "I Told Every One" . I can hear where these guys might have influenced Ryan Adams.

Mascis is not the world's greatest singer... He knows this. He works well with what he has and there is an endearing honesty to it. I suppose that is Lou Barlow taking over the vocals on "Love is..." which has more of a 60s strum to it. "Good to Know" taps into some of the energy they hit you with on the first song. There is a heavier lumber to "I Walk For Miles". It's easy to hear how these guys hail from the same era as Nirvana.  The more country twang returns on "Lost All Day". He lets his voice crack into a falsetto on this song. The tighter rock chugs that drive the song coming out of the chorus are the high light of this one. They relax back into " Knocked Around" that recalls the 90s, when pop music didn't seem like it sucked as bad. The lyric "give a glimpse of what you're not" hides out in this song.The build up on this song is pretty awesome. The production on this album is generally on point, lets face it these guys are old pros so they are not going to let that slip. The guitar tones is great and Mascis really cements his place as one of modern rock's best guitarists on "Mirror". The song carries enough a groove to create the illusion it's not as melancholy as it. The last song is pretty dynamic, while also being some what laid back in it's solid groove. I'll give this a 9.5, it's my first pass through it so it has yet to have a chance to grow on me, if you are already a fan then this will be on endless repeat.