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Ok, I’m starting to come around. I caught myself singing some of the songs to myself while cleaning the house today. This album for some reason just hasn’t been as instantaneous with me as all the others. Either way I’m digging it more and more everyday. Can’t wait to hear the vinyl cranked up loud. It’s gonna sound good!
I do feel like the album is them on autopilot. The sound seems a little thin on the earlier tracks, as in not a lot of sonic shrapnel and pizaz until the later songs. Farm was, and is, a beautiful album. I would like to hear Over It, Plans, Ocean in the Way, and Pieces live.
Hopefully the album is more spirited live. Look at Thumb, Get Me, and What Else Is New live. They take on a whole new life. Regardless of how spirited I feel the album is, I’m always happy to hear new Dinosaur. The worst track on this album still kicks pop radio in the nuts.
And now streaming on NPR
– http://www.npr.org/2012/09/09/160628084/first-listen-dinosaur-jr-i-bet-on-skyI am loving the album. I can see what J was talking about when he described it as being more ‘Funky’ in parts with some of the grooves.
I like that while they keep their distinctive sound, they have no problems bringing new elements and angles into it. “I Know It Oh So Well” took me a couple listens to totally take it in but know I’m loving it. The rest of the album immediately took my ears to its comfort zone.And @terryfunku nailed it “The worst track on this album still kicks pop radio in the nuts.”
Really good points about the live versions of dinosaur songs, there’s a lot of room here to do almost anything – another reason I’m loving the record, pop at home – ear bleeding country live.
I tried picking the live tracks and unlike any Dino album before they could easily do them all.
Just so I look like an idiot though 🙂
Watch the corners
Almost fare
Stick a toe in
RudePlus a rotation of What was that.
If anyone sees black betty and ricochet floating around as an mp3 can they let me know…. I don’t mind paying for them, but I’m not buying the Japanese CD and a record player to get the tracks.
Based on now the fall I’m looking forward to these tracks ! Unlike some of the other b-sides in the last few songs….hopefully they are more turnip farm than yer son……
Also I’m wondering if ricochet is the other Lou track ( he recorded 3 for the album ) or will that come later ?
Exciting 🙂oh @empire2 before I forget. Ricochet is the third Lou song from those session. He confirmed it 🙂
Love the pianos on Dont pretend and stick a toe in, the bridge on I know it oh so well and probably my favourite song is between almost fare and pierce the morning rain. Wasn’t so sure at first, but this album grows on you.
Well…Been a HUGE fan since ~90. This is the first album that I actually have to turn off. I’ve given it 4 tries and I can’t get through it. Never had this happen w/ a Dinosaur release before. This is the first one that’s not for me. I think if I recall correctly, I wasn’t initially a fan of Without A Sound but I eventually learned to love it. I hope I come around on this one too! All the best to you all.
I’d have to agree with some others here, this is the first total clunker DJ album I’ve come across. Much of it sounds bogarted from other DJ riffs and some of it is just plain boring. The pop move is a curious one at this stage of their game. Almost Fare and Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know sound like some of the cheesy efforts U2 have put forth in the last few years. I’ve been a huge fan since the early days and have seen many DJ and J shows, but I’ll sit this tour out if the set list is heavy on these songs and the pretty common set lists they’ve been offering since the reunion. What a bummer.
I Bet on Sky a clunker? Just because there are a few similarities song wise, doesn’t mean the album was uninspired. Some Hendrix and Mile davis songs sound similar to other songs in their catalogs, but nobody ever accused them of just going through motions.
Dinosaur jr have put out music for almost 30 years. I would think it would almost be impossible to not hear a few similarities.I don’t think any of the songs “rip off” any of the older songs, they merely have a part that sound similar. As far as a pop move, I don’t see that either. To me, its obvious the band does whatever they please, and don’t worry at all about how the album is percieved. YLAOM is my favorite album ever, but I’m glad they aren’t trying to recreate that 25 years later. That was a different time and place. Songs Like Pierce the Morning Rain, and both of Lou’s tracks sound fresh and totally different from any other dino tracks to me. Like the band was pushing it….doing something different, but not just with volume. I think the songs from I Bet on Sly will be incredible live.
Cool, we all have different perspectives. I do actually prefer Lou’s contributions since the reunion probably as much as anything J’s contributing. I’m just not sure, to my ears, that Lou’s songs sound much like the sound I’ve come to know as DJ. Some nice tunes, but not necessarily what I think of as DJ.
I feel like Sky doesn’t work where Hand It Over did work – the stretching out of the DJ song template. The use of banjo, horns, etc. on Hand It Over was a pretty interesting shake up at the time. On Sky, to me, some carryover from J’s acoustic album was included, but didn’t really accomplish much except to water down the sound – resulting in almost a DJ-lite sound.
I know others have zeroed in on J’s comment about preparing this album without worrying how it will be able to be delivered live. Funny, another Hand It Over reference, I think this would have definately been the case with that album (lots of sounds that wouldn’t necessarily be available live), but I just don’t see too much relevance to Sky. Other than some acoustic guitar, there’s not much on Sky that couldn’t pretty easily be done live. J’s comment doesn’t really make all that much sense to me now that I’ve listened to the album 4-5 times all the way through.
As a general observation, to some extent, the reunion band has more limitations than opportunities, especially live. To think we’ll never hear the vast majority of Green Mind though Hand It Over is regrettable. Other than being the “original band,” (which is indeed a good notion as Lou and Murph are great players) I’m not sure the studio creativity of DJ is enhanced by the reunion.
I dunno, more than other bands that have this much of a history / catalog, it seems like a good number of these songs sound so similar to other DJ songs. The one for sure is a direct offspring of Turnip Farm.
Still a great band, lots to offer, but I’d like to see them grab a unique producer for the next album to see if the sound can’t be harvested a bit more.
For what its worth. I am also a fan and I never listen to the post green mind albums. They bore me. And I own everything and I love guitar. The fog records are interesting. Lots of J’s songs are 3-4 chord exercises in repitition. And lots of the same chords. For me its all about the tone, the drive. And the drums. Sky is alright. But to suggest that the reunion has held j back, is silliness. Also loo has said many times he will play any song j wants too.
Bearcat, Even though we have differing opinions of the album, I do understand a lot of points you are making. I totally agree with your comment about different producer. I don’t know the technical terms for it, but do think the tracks would be better if it were mixed in a more dynamic way.
The only album I ever really felt was going through motions was Without a Sound(I do think Over Your Shoulder was an awesome song, but that is about it on that album for me). I actually know quite a few people that prefer that album to Dinos other work oddly enough.
As far as sounding Dj lite, the band are nearing 50, and I just think that is what the sound has evolved into. It would be ridiculous for the band to constantly try to recreate YLAOM every album. I’ve always thought that it has to be hard for aggressive bands to stay aggressive when either age, or money , or both have changed the reasons they were playing such loud, aggressive stuff in the first place. At least lyrics wise.
To me, an album comes down to songs. I really like Don’t Pretend, Rude, Recognition, Pierce the Morning Rain, and Watch the Corners. The nly track I dont like is I Know it Oh So Well. I feel like Pierce the Morning Rain, Rude, and Recognition are very unique and creative Dino songs as well. Like the band was going for something different, be it tempo, rhythmn, or J holding back on a solo.
Tom – I appreciate your level headed opinion sharing, it’s great that we can discuss our perspectives. I do agree that age probably factors into it. I honestly think that coming so quickly off J’s excursion into the acoustic album has influenced this album a bit. I should add that I do find both Lou songs interesting as well. Watch the Corners is a good one, too.
Goodguytoo – perhaps I gave the wrong impression about the reunion, I wasn’t trying to imply it’s holding J back. There’s just a spark missing or something, I don’t exactly know how to explain it. I really liked where Hand It Over and the first Fog album took me. There was a great dynamic, from really upbeat to really mellow. The melodies seemed more original. I felt similarly about Beyond. I would like to add that I’ve read many Lou interviews where he openly disses the 90s DJ music. I honestly don’t feel like it’s all that open for them to play (so far, we have about 6 songs from a total of 4 albums, a pretty low count – a notion I get if I were Lou, not trying to speak for him, but I’d probably want to moreso play the songs I contributed to/on).
I would be remiss if I didn’t say I’m thrilled they’re still doing it to even have this conversation.
Thanks for the good chat all.
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