Dinosaur Jr. “Farm” Review

Any fears about Dinosaur Jr.’s ability to produce music fit for the 21st Century were squelched by the release of 2007′s Beyond, an album met by critical acclaim and a collective sigh of relief from flannel-clad fans everywhere. Sure, it was no You’re All Over Me, and it was definitely no Green Mind. But Beyond was familiar without being overly predictable; demonstrating, as one might expect, that the band was aging well. Unfortunately, with the release of Farm comes a maturation that feels more like dejected old age than pleasant nostalgia for a more “Water”-y time.

As a child of the ’90s, my first venture away from Top 40 radio led me straight to Peal Jam’s Ten (and kept me there for a long, long time), which is to say that I’d like to think that I can fully appreciate the grunginess of this album. It channels the music of Stone Temple Pilots and Sonic Youth, with the voice of Eddie Vedder in a way that is more distinctly alt-rock than anything we’ve heard this decade. With solos that sound effortless and powerful riffs, J Mascis’ guitar carries the album and provides relief from the somewhat monotonous melodies. And while Murph does his best to keep things interesting on the drums throughout the album, succeeding most obviously in “Over It” and “Said The People,” many of the tracks, unfortunately, conclude with solos that feel literally endless.

Throughout Farm Mascis’ vocals are deep and husky. Powerful, while still possessing an “I don’t give a shit,” kind of nonchalance. Looping and background vocals add depth and harmony on several otherwise bare tracks. Mascis sounds as distinctively Dino as ever, particularly in tracks like “There’s No Here,” which features uniquely strained high notes. Yet something has changed and the result is an album that borders on emotionally draining.

Maybe it is the sadness of the repetitive and simplistic lyrics—nearly all of which center around the theme of lacking purpose, understanding, direction—that leave the listener feeling glum at best. Or maybe it is the unresolved anticipation created by lengthy tracks (the longest, “I Don’t Wanna Go There,” clocks in at 8:45) that never build into the punk-meets-rock ‘n’ roll sound that once characterized the band. Whatever the cause, the result is an album that is better suited for a rainy day than any occasion that may require you to actually smile or laugh. On top of that the tracks all sound remarkably similar, so much so that it took several listens before I was able to differentiate one from the next. Songs that would likely succeed as singles get lost in an album full of others that utilize the same four notes, the same hook, and the same tired rhymes.

Farm is an album that would be most appreciated in short bursts. Its most memorable track is “See You,” which provides a much-needed break from the sadness that comes before it. Although the tone is still mellow and the lyrics beg the questions of, “Can you tell me what to be?” and “Can you tell me what this all means to me?” A delicate guitar solo in the intro and pluckiness throughout the song produce a far more upbeat sound. Another standout track is “Your Weather.” The vocals possess a depth that does the Lou Barlow-penned lyrics justice. It is fair to say that the track does not necessarily fit in with the rest of Farm, but you’ll never hear me complain about minor chord harmony and a song that doesn’t end with three minutes of jamming.

In no way is Farm a failure, but I’ll be sure to keep my fingers crossed for some uppers finding their way into Mascis’ Froot Loops before the next project.

[Review by guest contributor Charlotte Borgen.]

Dinosaur Jr. “I Want You To Know” [MP3]

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Also: Dinosaur Jr. on the Late Show with David Letterman