DINOSAUR JR.: Sweep It Into Space (POP): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Twelve years after its unexpected return, the dinosaur is still standing! The quarrels buried, the egos more or less deflated, the original trio, that is to say J.Mascis on vocals and guitar, Lou Barlow on bass and vocals and Murph on drums, released between 2009 and 2016 three albums faithful to its musical aesthetic. Released in 2016, the album ''Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not'' proved that it was a match for the band's most successful albums such as ''Bug'' or ''Green Mind''. Five years later, the Dinosaur continues his way by releasing his twelfth album ''Sweep It Into Space''.

Dinosaur JR imposed its own rules and hardly deviated from them since its beginnings: the guitars are dirty and saturated, the drums are percussive, the voice of J.Mascis is weak and plaintive. Lou Barlow offers more aerial pieces and melancholic ballads. What has evolved is the quality of writing and composition of the songs, which have become finer, more melodious and increasingly catchy. The present edition is no exception to the rule. From the very first moments, the music lover will feel on familiar ground. With its big sound full of fuzz guitar and the neurasthenic voice of J.Mascis, there is no mistake on the goods. This inaugural track is however not very captivating but it has the merit to launch the album. The voice of J.Mascis comes to pierce in our heart on tracks like 'I Met The Stones', 'I Expect It Always' accompanied by effective riffs of guitar or on 'Hide Another Round' where his voice is spread between two riffs of guitar and two blows of drums. Throughout the album, the guitar solos are as brief as they are enjoyable. At the end of the album, however, is a surprise with a track marked by keyboards 'Take It Back', but not necessarily convincing.

Unfortunately, if this "Sweep It Into Space" remains a good release, the 2016 vintage seemed somewhat better inspired. Few tracks stand out from the organic magma unlike the previous album and some seem to duplicate the previous ones ('Walking To You' despite a final to remember), a constant unfortunately with the Americans. The group knows however as formerly to bring a handful of refreshing ballads, 'I Ran Away' where the dragging voice of J.Mascis succeeds in following without loss of time a slightly endiablé tempo and the sparkling arpeggios of the guitar of Kurt Vile (guitarist of the group The War On Drugs which possesses the same influences, namely Tom Petty, Neil Young). But in this exercise, it is Lou Barlow, whose contributions are more important than in the past, who comes out best with one of the two songs he wrote, 'Garden'.

Dinosaur JR hardly changes his habits. The albums follow one another and are similar but always with new sparks and some moments of grace. If this album seems less inspired than its predecessor, we retain the communicative energy and the voice of J.Mascis, very singular in the world of Rock. - Official website

DINOSAUR JR.

SWEEP IT INTO SPACE

AUTRE LABEL

POP