Lou Barlow and Company - "Only Fading"

Lou Barlow has been making music for almost forty years now, but we haven't quite heard anything like his newest release. Credited to Lou Barlow and Company, Barlow has teamed with Eat Fire Spring for two new songs. "Only Fading" sounds solidly like Lou Barlow, but not quite what we've heard from him in the past. It certainly doesn't sound like Dinosaur Jr, Sentridoh, The Folk Implosion, or his folkier solo work. It sounds the most like Bakesale or Harmacy era Sebadoh, even though that doesn't fully explain the sound. Maybe it's more like his solo work, but a more rock version of that sound. But at this point in his career it's exciting to hear an artist like Barlow be able to change things up like this!

You can listen to "Only Fading" below. The song is available as a single with the B-side "Sacrifice" over at Bandcamp. For more on Lou Barlow, check out the artist's Twitter and Facebook.

The Folk Implosion - Feel It If You Feel It

It's been a long, long time since Lou Barlow joined with John Davis to release any new music as The Folk Implosion. The pair recently got together and just released an EP! It consists of two songs and remixes of those songs. "Don't Give It Away" sounds a little like Barlow's recent solo work, but funkier and with some more instrumentation. "Had Enough" is more like an organic and chilled out drum n bass track. In other words, The Folk Implosion is back and they've still got it! Plus, they've said this is just a taste of more to come, which is some of the best news out there.

You can listen to "Don't Give It Away" below. Feel It If You Feel It is available now over at Bandcamp. For more on The Folk Implosion, check out their Instagram.

Live Shows: Dinosaur Jr and The Lemonheads, House of Blues, Boston, MA 11/27/21

Photo by Cara Totman

It takes a lot to get me to go out to the House of Blues. It's just a huge (by my standards) venue that rarely has artists I like playing. Plus, I hate parking near Fenway Park, and in the winter I hate a $5.00 coat check. But, how could I possibly say no to a double bill of Massachusetts rock legends Dinosaur Jr and The Lemonheads?

Seeing as this was a Big Rock Show opening up for another band at a huge hometown venue, I assumed this would be a night of big hits for Evan Dando and The Lemonheads. I was happily wrong. Sure, they played a ton of fan favorites, but they were hardly the bigger hits. There was no "Into Your Arms" or "It's a Shame About Ray" played on this Saturday night, and definitely no "Mrs. Robinson." This might have been the first time I've seen The Lemonheads or Evan Dando without them playing "The Outdoor Type." The more well known songs played this night were "If I Could Talk I'd Tell You" and "My Drug Buddy." Instead we got fan favorites like "Dawn Can't Decide," "Rudderless," "Stove," and even "Style," which I don't think I've ever seen live in the dozens of times I've seen The Lemonheads' various configurations. The Lemonheads are currently playing as a trio, although they were joined by Chris Brokaw and a keyboard player towards the end. Despite avoiding the Big Hit Cover (as they always do), Dando is not shy about busting out a few covers. The House of Blues show saw them playing John Prine's "Speed of the Sound of Loneliness," where they dropped their 90's alt-rock sound for pure country, and closed with The Bevis Frond's "Old Man Blank." Dando looked and sounded better than he has in years, and was obviously having a blast playing again despite being less chatty than I've ever seen him. The Lemonheads played that masterful combination of tight and loose, but sounded a little sloppy. But, that's how we want them to sound, so it was a perfect set for fans.

Dinosaur Jr opened their set with the classic "Bulbs of Passion" from their 1985 debut album. After that, they played five songs in a row from their latest album, Sweep It Into Space. It's a fine album and all, but it's more than a little laid back, and the last thing you're looking for with a Dinosaur Jr show is laid back. But, they have a new album to promote (even if J Mascis needs cue cards for the lyrics of this new album) and they got that out of the way quickly. (Plus, Lou Barlow did lead the crowd in singing "Happy Birthday" to his son Hendrix during this time, and that's always fun). After that, they broke out with 2007's "Been There All the Time," and never looked back. It was a night of absolute classic fan favorites like "The Wagon," "In a Jar," "Freak Scene," "Sludgefeast," "Gargoyle," and obviously "Feel the Pain." The encore was a dream trio of "Out There," "Little Fury Things," and their cover of The Cure's "Just Like Heaven," which I'm fairly certain they've been closing with for two decades now. This was a monster of a show, despite the slow start.

If there was any issue with the evening, it was muddled sound. I'm sure the beast that is a Dinosaur Jr live show can wreak havoc on your average sound system, but the vocals in particular were very muddled. I thought it might have been from me standing too close, but when I loved to the back for the encore there were still issues, particularly with Lou Barlow's microphone.

Lou Barlow - "In My Arms"

Lou Barlow's upcoming solo album is shaping up to be exactly what we want from him at this point. The latest single from the album is as DIY as it could possibly be. He played the drums on this one, and broke out a J Mascis signature squire for some of the guitar work. "In My Arms" is a chilled out folk-ish but definitely not folk song. It's the kind of bedroom indie rock that Barlow has been making for decades now, just updated by musical and recording skill, age, technology, and maturity. It's pretty much the perfect Lou Barlow song for fans of any of his musical projects.

You can watch the video (which Barlow made himself) for "In My Arms" below. Reason to Live is due out May 28 on Joyful Noise. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Lou Barlow, check out the artist's website.

Dinosaur Jr - "Take It Back"

Photo by Cara Totman

The latest single from Dinosaur Jr is interesting in that it doesn't sound like a Dinosaur Jr song. "Take It Back" doesn't have that explosive feel imbedded into all Dinosaur Jr songs, even the more mellow ones. In fact, it features J Mascis on a mini digital mellotron as much as guitar, if not more. Yes, "Take It Back" might be Dinosaur Jr's "Jump." It's certainly not a bad song, just not what we expect from the indie rock legends. And, yes, we do expect bands to mellow out a bit as they enter their fourth decade of existence. If anything, it sounds like it might be a better fit on a J Mascis solo album.

You can watch the video for "Take It Back" below. Sweep it Into Space is due out April 23 on Jagjaguwar. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Dinosaur Jr, check out the band's website. Current tour dates are below the video.

Sat. May 22 - Swanzey, NH @ Cheshire Fairgrounds - SOCIALLY DISTANCED
Sun. May 23 - New Haven @ CT Westville Music Bowl  - SOCIALLY DISTANCED
Tue. July 27 - Fri. July 30 - Big Indian, NY @ Camp Fuzz
Tue. Sept. 7 - Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
Thu. Sept. 9 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Fri. Sept. 10 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Venue TBA
Sat. Sept. 11 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
Mon. Sept. 13 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
Tue. Sept. 14 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Thu. Sept. 16 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Mon. Sept. 20 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
Tue. Sept. 21 - Kansas City, MO @ Truman
Thu. Sept. 23 - Austin, TX @ Moody Theater @ ACL Live
Fri. Sept. 24 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Sat. Sept. 25 - Dallas, TX @ Canton Hall
Mon. Sept. 27 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
Tue. Sept. 28 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird
Thu. Sept. 30 - Columbus, OH @ Athenaeum Theatre
Fri. Oct. 1 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora
Sat. Oct. 2 - Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
Fri. Nov. 12 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
Sat. Nov. 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
Mon. Nov. 15 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Tue. Nov. 16 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Thu. Nov. 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Fri. Nov. 19 - New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
Sat. Nov. 20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
Fri. Nov. 26 - Northampton, MA @ Academy of Music
Sat. Nov. 27 - Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
Thu. Feb. 3 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy’s and Harriets
Fri. Feb. 4 - Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
Sat. Feb. 5 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
Mon. Feb. 7 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Music Hall
Tue. Feb. 8 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
Thu. Feb. 10 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox at Market
Fri. Feb. 11 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Sat. Feb. 12 - Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Tue. Feb. 15 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
Wed. Feb. 16 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Thu. Feb. 17 -  San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Sat. Feb. 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
Sun. Feb. 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
Tue. Feb. 22 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park
Wed. Feb. 23 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Fri. Feb. 25 - Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theatre
Sat. Feb. 26 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre

Lou Barlow - "Over You"

We're already looking forward to a new Dinosaur Jr album this month, and now we have an upcoming solo album from Lou Barlow! The first single, "Over You," is a return to Barlow's lo-fi roots. His more recent solo albums are more on the folky side of things, and while "Over You" isn't quite along the lines of his ultra lo-fi early solo or Sentridoh music, it's definitely not the more polished acoustic sound we're used to at this point. "Over You" sits right in the middle of the two sides of Barlow's solo work, being folk-ish and weird lo-fi-ish. It's an ode to his time in California, giving that period of his life a fond send off.

You can watch the video for "Over You" below. Reason to Live is due out May 28 on Joyful Noise. You can pre-order your copy here. For more on Lou Barlow, check out his website.

Dinosaur Jr - "Garden"

Photo by Cara Totman

The latest single from indie rock gods Dinosaur Jr is one of their Lou Barlow songs, and it definitely sounds like a Lou Barlow song. In fact, it's more along the lines of Barlow's solo songs or his more recent Sebadoh material. It's a bit surprising since there is usually a distinct line between what he does with Dinosaur Jr and Sebadoh, but I can't imagine there aren't a ton of crossover fans between the two bands. Plus, if you've ever wanted to hear a J Mascis guitar solo during a Sebadoh song, then you're in luck!

Lou Barlow says of the song:

“Everyone seemed to want a disruption in the order of American life, it seemed necessary. Then it happened. It began as a bitter lamentation but as I was finishing the lyrics, singing over the instrumental version of the song while driving to J’s through the miles of farmland that separate his studio in Amherst and my home in Greenfield (Massachusetts), I saw a sign on a shed: Back to the Garden. I was looking for a resolution, where do we go when faced with such dramatic confusion? Back to basics, back home, back to the garden. Luckily I was able to complete the vocals and instrumentation for the song just before the quarantine."

You can watch the video for "Garden" below. Unfortunately it features the band in a snowy backyard, and I think we're all sick of looking at snow and cold right now. Sweep it Into Space is due out April 23 on Jagjaguwar. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Dinosaur Jr, check out the band's website. Current tour dates are below the video. (I've really, really missed writing that...)

Sat. May 22 - Swanzey, NH @ Cheshire Fairgrounds - SOCIALLY DISTANCED
Sun. May 23 - New Haven @ CT Westville Music Bowl  - SOCIALLY DISTANCED
Tue. July 27 - Fri. July 30 - Big Indian, NY @ Camp Fuzz
Tue. Sept. 7 - Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
Thu. Sept. 9 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Fri. Sept. 10 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Venue TBA
Sat. Sept. 11 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
Mon. Sept. 13 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
Tue. Sept. 14 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Thu. Sept. 16 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Mon. Sept. 20 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
Tue. Sept. 21 - Kansas City, MO @ Truman
Thu. Sept. 23 - Austin, TX @ Moody Theater @ ACL Live
Fri. Sept. 24 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Sat. Sept. 25 - Dallas, TX @ Canton Hall
Mon. Sept. 27 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
Tue. Sept. 28 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird
Thu. Sept. 30 - Columbus, OH @ Athenaeum Theatre
Fri. Oct. 1 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora
Sat. Oct. 2 - Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
Fri. Nov. 12 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
Sat. Nov. 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
Mon. Nov. 15 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Tue. Nov. 16 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Thu. Nov. 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Fri. Nov. 19 - New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
Sat. Nov. 20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
Fri. Nov. 26 - Northampton, MA @ Academy of Music
Sat. Nov. 27 - Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
Thu. Feb. 3 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy’s and Harriets
Fri. Feb. 4 - Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
Sat. Feb. 5 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
Mon. Feb. 7 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Music Hall
Tue. Feb. 8 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
Thu. Feb. 10 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox at Market
Fri. Feb. 11 - Portland, OR @ Venue TBA
Sat. Feb. 12 - Portland, OR @ Venue TBA
Tue. Feb. 15 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
Wed. Feb. 16 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Thu. Feb. 17 -  San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Sat. Feb. 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
Sun. Feb. 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
Tue. Feb. 22 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park
Wed. Feb. 23 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Fri. Feb. 25 - Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theatre
Sat. Feb. 26 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre

Dinosaur Jr Announce Fall Tour!

Photo by Cara Totman

Everything is looking pretty good right now. Things aren't great, and the vaccine roll out is going slower than we hoped (at least in Massachusetts where signing up is a nightmare), but it is happening. All reports show a return to somewhat normal sometime over the summer, maybe late fall. That means live music should be returning this year! (Hopefully...) It's hard to not get our hopes up, especially when our beloved indie gods Dinosaur Jr just announced a huge fall East coas/Midwest tour! They've also announced dates for this year's Camp Fuzz! Taking place July 27-20 in Big Indian, NY, it's an all inclusive retreat that features performances, master classes, arts & crafts, and more! The tour kicks off September 7 in Montreal at Corona Theatre and ends November 27 in Boston at the House of Blues. Those on the West coast will have to wait until February. Pretty much all of February 2022 sees J, Lou, and Murph all over the coast from Pioneertown, CA on February 3 to February 26 when they end the tour in Denver, CO. These dates are sure to be a lot of people's first forays out into the world of live music in well over a year, so get your tickets early and do not forget your earplugs!

You can see the full tour dates for Dinosaur Jr below! Their upcoming album, Sweep it Into Space, is due out April 23 on Jagjaguwar. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Dinosaur Jr and their tour, check out the band's website!

Tue. July 27 - Fri. July 30 - Big Indian, NY @ Camp Fuzz
Tue. Sept. 7 - Montreal, QC @ Corona Theatre
Thu. Sept. 9 - Toronto, ON @ Danforth Music Hall
Fri. Sept. 10 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Venue TBA
Sat. Sept. 11 - Detroit, MI @ Majestic Theatre
Mon. Sept. 13 - Madison, WI @ Majestic Theatre
Tue. Sept. 14 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue
Thu. Sept. 16 - St. Louis, MO @ The Pageant
Mon. Sept. 20 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
Tue. Sept. 21 - Kansas City, MO @ Truman
Thu. Sept. 23 - Austin, TX @ Moody Theater @ ACL Live
Fri. Sept. 24 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall
Sat. Sept. 25 - Dallas, TX @ Canton Hall
Mon. Sept. 27 - Birmingham, AL @ Saturn
Tue. Sept. 28 - Bloomington, IN @ The Bluebird
Thu. Sept. 30 - Columbus, OH @ Athenaeum Theatre
Fri. Oct. 1 - Cleveland, OH @ Agora
Sat. Oct. 2 - Ithaca, NY @ State Theatre
Fri. Nov. 12 - Nashville, TN @ Brooklyn Bowl
Sat. Nov. 13 - Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade
Mon. Nov. 15 - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
Tue. Nov. 16 - Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Thu. Nov. 18 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Fri. Nov. 19 - New Haven, CT @ College Street Music Hall
Sat. Nov. 20 - Brooklyn, NY @ Brooklyn Steel
Fri. Nov. 26 - Northampton, MA @ Academy of Music
Sat. Nov. 27 - Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
Thu. Feb. 3 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy’s and Harriets
Fri. Feb. 4 - Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
Sat. Feb. 5 - Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
Mon. Feb. 7 - Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory Music Hall
Tue. Feb. 8 - Vancouver, BC @ Commodore Ballroom
Thu. Feb. 10 - Seattle, WA @ Showbox at Market
Fri. Feb. 11 - Portland, OR @ Venue TBA
Sat. Feb. 12 - Portland, OR @ Venue TBA
Tue. Feb. 15 - Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
Wed. Feb. 16 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Thu. Feb. 17 -  San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
Sat. Feb. 19 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
Sun. Feb. 20 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda
Tue. Feb. 22 - San Diego, CA @ Observatory North Park
Wed. Feb. 23 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
Fri. Feb. 25 - Albuquerque, NM @ El Rey Theatre
Sat. Feb. 26 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre

Dinosaur Jr - "I Ran Away"

Photo by Cara Totman

It's official: Dinosaur Jr have finally slowed down. Considering they've been a band (off and on) for nearly forty years, it's expected. But, judging by their new single "I Ran Away," slowing down isn't a bad thing. "I Ran Away" is a mid-tempo gentle rocker. While it doesn't have the mind scrambling guitar solos and volume of previous Dinosaur Jr songs, you're not going to miss it. The song also features Kurt Vile on a twelve string guitar, which gives it a little bit of a twang and finally earns the band the "ear splitting country" moniker they've previously used. While this new song may be more tame than their output in the 1980's, this is distinctly a Dinosaur Jr song. 

You can watch the video for "I Ran Away" below. Sweep It Into Space, the long COVID delayed album from Dinosaur Jr, will finally be released April 23 on Jagjaguwar. You can pre-order the album in various killer bundles here. For more on Dinosaur Jr, check out the band's website.

Lou Barlow Covers Paw Patrol

Photo via Facebook

My twelve year old missed the whole Paw Patrol thing, and my two year old has yet to discover that show... for now. Lou Barlow doesn't seem to be as lucky as I have been, and his youngest appears to be fully immersed in the world of Paw Patrol. The youngest Barlow is so into the show about dogs being cops and... other human things, I guess (?) that Lou has covered the show's theme song. It's an acoustic cover, sung surprisingly earnestly, until the added verse. Barlow adds a verse about having to buy his toddler toys from the show every time they're at Target, and even includes a naughty word, just in case you were about to play his version for your kid and have an issue with such language.

You can watch the video for Lou Barlow's version of the Paw Patrol theme song below. For more on Lou Barlow, check out his website.

Dinosaur Jr Covers Ram Jam

Photo via Facebook

Somehow I am just discovering this exists. Way back in 2012, Dinosaur Jr included a cover of Ram Jam's immortal "Black Betty" on I Bet On Sky... in certain markets. That cover has never been available digitally until now. Dinosaur Jr's cover of "Black Betty" is as glorious as you'd expect. I mean, "Black Betty" may be the greatest rock song ever recorded, and this version of it includes J Mascis guitars. What more could you possibly want from anything in your entire life? Plus, there's no way Dinosaur Jr didn't have an absolute blast playing this. Let's hope that when concerts come back, this becomes a live staple for Dino Jr. And let's hope they recreate the original's video.

You can listen to Dinosaur Jr's even better than you can imagine version of "Black Betty" below via Spotify. It also comes with a live version of Bug's "Pond Song." For more on Dinosaur Jr, be sure to check out their website.

Sebadoh - "raging river"

Fresh off the heels off last month's new song "stunned" comes another new song from Sebadoh, this one also written and sung by Jason Lowenstein. "raging river" is quite different from "stunned" (one of the reasons I've always loved Sebadoh is how different their songs tend to be from each other). While "stunned" was a noisy, abrasive punk-ish song, "raging river" is a lot more laid back. In fact, it's more of a groovy country-ish song. Of course, it's a Jason Lowenstein penned groovy country-ish song, so it's still pretty loud and abrasive.

You can watch the video for "raging river" below. Act Surprised, the upcoming album from Sebadoh, will be out May 24 on Dangerbird. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Sebadoh, be sure to check out their website, including their current tour dates.

Sebadoh - "celebrate the void"

I've been an obsessive fan of Sebadoh for decades now. I even have always liked The Sebadoh. When I heard rumblings on social media about an upcoming album, I couldn't wait to finally hear new music from one of my favorites. Today, we have a new song! "celebrate the void" starts off very differently from your typical Sebadoh song. For the first half it's a straight up power ballad, which I don't think anyone would expect. Sure, Sebadoh have done slow songs and ballads before, but "celebrate the void" is a power ballad, albeit filtered through the prism of Lou Barlow. Halfway through it switches to a more typical later period Sebadoh song. But any Sebadoh song is guaranteed to be glorious.

You can watch the video for "celebrate the void" below. Act Surprised, the new (!!!!) album from Sebadoh, will be out May 24 on Dangerbird. You can pre-order a copy through your favorite outlet here. For more on Sebadoh, check out their website.

Dinosaur Jr - "Hold Unknown"

Photo by John William Moloney

We're at this really weird point where it's easy to take Dinosaur Jr for granted. The band is over ten years into their original line up reunion and they've improbably been releasing great to fantastic music during that time. While many of their peers are releasing mediocre at best albums just to have something to sell at their reunion tours, Dinosaur Jr have been killing it. But because of that, we've come to expect it and the sheen has worn off a bit.

Let's not ignore this great new Dinosaur Jr song. "Hold Unknown" is great, which we've come to expect at this phase in their career. But it shouldn't be great. This should be garbage that we all dismiss and just go see them for the classics. "Hold Unknown" has this frantic energy and intensity bands a quarter of their age would kill for. Plus, J Mascis guitar solos, which can never go wrong.

Seriously, listen to this song loud and repeatedly. You can find it below. "Hold Unknown" is available as part of the Adult Swim Singles Series here. For more on Dinosaur Jr, check out their website.

Live Shows: Dinosaur Jr and Easy Action, The Met Cafe, Pawtucket, RI 9/27/17

Despite Dinosaur Jr being one of my favorite bands, I don't think I've seen them since 2009 when they played Club Hell in Providence. When I saw that they were playing The Met Cafe, one of my favorite clubs, I knew I had to go. I mean, how could this go wrong? Well...

I do have to briefly mention Easy Action who opened the show. I knew nothing about them when I walked in during their set, but holy Jesus, were they amazing. They're too straight forward rock to be noise punk, and they're way too loud and noisy to be hard rock. They occupy some bizarre territory in between the two. It was just loud, artsy rock that was far too rock to be smart, but too interesting to be dumb. I will have to get them on my radar ASAP!

Now for Dinosaur Jr's set. Easy Action sounded great. I'm not sure what happened in between sets, but something was just wrong during their set. They opened with "Thumb" from Green Mind. The only reason I knew they opened with "Thumb" is because I could read it on the set list. Maybe it was because I was standing in front of Lou Barlow, but I could barely make out anything J Mascis was doing. Both his vocals and guitar were barely audible. The main reason you go to see Dinosaur Jr is for J's incredible, mind melting guitar playing, and that was pretty much useless. 

I toughed it out from that vantage point for a few more songs before moving towards the back. It sounded better from back there, but still not great. Plus, for those of us that love to watch Mascis play guitar and silently curse ourselves for never learning and end up wandering into a guitar shop the next day dreaming about learning, the back isn't where we want to go. I kept trying to find a better area where I could see and hear the way I wanted to, but I just couldn't. The best I could find was an area to the left of the stage where I could see Mascis (when he wasn't in front of the microphone, at least) and hear ok, but Barlow and Murph were completely obscured by a pole and amplifier. I saw "Feel the Pain" and "Little Fury Things" from this vantage point, but during either "Knocked Around" or "Lose," I ended up taking off for the night. 

It's weird, because I've seen both Dinosaur Jr multiple times, and I've been to The Met Cafe twice just this year, and all have been great experiences. Hopefully this was just a one off bad experience. One great thing from the night was during "Left/Right," Barlow played guitar while Mascis played bass in a very Sebadoh move. Plus, leaving meant that I missed "Forget the Swan," which is quite possibly my favorite Dino Jr song, and a cover of The Stooges "T.V. Eye." Maybe next time...

New (and Free!) Dinosaur Jr Tour Documentary

Photo by Levi Walton

This was a very pleasant surprise this morning. Apparently Otis Bperiod was on tour with Dinosaur Jr earlier this year to document the band. He put together a documentary that just went up for free on YouTube. It's really rough black and white footage of the band, shot single camera style, but it's a ton of live footage along with the band fooling around backstage. The backstage footage is great to see as a fan since most Dinosaur Jr coverage tends to focus on the band not really getting along. This is an absolute must for all fans of Dinosaur Jr, and it's free. Like I said, the video is a pretty rough quality, but it's a feature length Dinosaur Jr tour documentary, so who really cares, right?

You can watch the full Dinosaur Jr - Bits and Pieces on YouTube below. I'd personally recommend watching it on your tv if you have the capability. For more on Dinosaur Jr, check out their website, and be sure to follow Otis Bperiod on Facebook.

*Full disclosure: I haven't watched the full thing yet, so there could be something amazing or horrible towards the end that I'm not reporting on.

Dinosaur Jr - "Tiny"

Photo by Levi Walton

Yesterday we were greeted with the news that Dinosaur Jr have a new album coming out in August. This will be the fourth since the original line up of J, Lou, and Murph reunited, which is one more than they had on their 1st run. What's truly amazing is that a new Dinosaur Jr album is something to celebrate and look forward to. Most bands that are 30 years into their career are releasing filler material at best and more often than not pure shit. So far all three of their "reunion" albums have been stellar, and their upcoming album, Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not, will most likely be pretty great, too. The first song is out now. "Tiny" is a bit poppier than what you might expect from Dino Jr and is more along the lines of "Feel the Pain," but that's not a bad thing. It's still fuzzy and loud, with two killer J Mascis guitar solos, and Lou is still attacking his bass like a hardcore kid. I can't wait for more.

Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not will be out August 5 on Jagjaguwar. You can check out a live performance of "Tiny" from last night's Later... with Jules Holland below. For more info on Dinosaur Jr, including preorder bundles and their upcoming massive tour, check out their website. There's also a Dinosaur Jr greatest hits playlist on Spotify that includes "Tiny."

First Listen: New Releases for September 4

Waaaaaaay too much out this week, and none of it is especially mind-blowing.

Album of the Week:

Artist: Widowspeak
Album: All Yours
Quick Description: Dreamy folk rock.
Why You Should Listen: It's the prettiest album released this week, and does a lot of interesting things.
Overall Thoughts: I had a visualization of this band that was much different than the end result. It's definitely a strange record in some regards, but its beauty more than makes up for the challenge. In a week where there's a lot of straightforward music out (the new Miley notwithstanding), this does stand out.
Recommendation: Best release of the week.

Artist: Family of the Year
Album: Family of the Year
Quick Description: Latest, more mainstream, album from the indie rock band.
Why You Should Listen: Pop folk is your thing.
Overall Thoughts: The first thing that came to mind during this listen was how polished it was. "Make You Mine" has radio hit written all over it, and the rest of the album is along the same lines. It's not bad, but the indieness of this band appears to be gone. That's probably going to impact your judgement more than anything else.
Recommendation: Worth a listen, the parts might be better than the whole, though.

Artist: Oh Wonder
Album: Oh Wonder
Quick Description: What if the Civil Wars really liked Kanye West's 808 and Heartbreak?
Why You Should Listen: There's a Civil Wars-shaped hole in your heart that only some singer-songwriter duets can fix.
Overall Thoughts: I liked this album. I think. Every so often the traditional modernness of the whole thing throws an unexpected curveball that makes listening more interesting than you'd expect. It might not be for everyone, but I definitely know I'll go back for more.
Recommendation: Might not be for everyone, but should be heard.

Artist: Dan Bern
Album: Hoody
Quick Description: Latest folkish album from the longtime singer-songwriter.
Why You Should Listen: You're a fan of Dan Bern. Or Bob Dylan. Or politically-oriented folk songs.
Overall Thoughts: This is a perfectly okay album on a whole. It's one I thought was fine when I listened but I don't know if I'd actually go back, especially considering a lot of the more interesting folk albums that have come out as of late.
Recommendation: Probably for fans only, unless you're really into this style. You'll know quickly.

Artist: Fidlar
Album: Too
Quick Description: Skate punk at it's finest/most obnoxious.
Why You Should Listen: You still have an old beat up pair of Vans in your closet; you think Blink 182 sold out with "Dammit."
Overall Thoughts: I mean, listen. I'm 34 years old, a wife, a kid, a mortgage. I am not the audience for this. It's fun, it's goofy, and I think 15 year old me might find some meaning in this that I just can't anymore. I don't know if this blog is even close to its intended audience, but this album works at what it's trying to do.
Recommendation: Not for me, but maybe for you.

Artist: Public Image Ltd.
Album: What the World Needs Now
Quick Description: What if McLusky and The Fall had a really weird lookin' kid.
Why You Should Listen: You like this band already or you're feeling really adventurous.
Overall Thoughts: I had never actually heard any PiL prior to this, and, well, I don't see myself going back. Let's just leave it at that.
Recommendation: Ehhh....

Artist: Cold Beat
Album: Into the Air
Quick Description: Late 1980s/early 1990s alt rock stylings from a west coast indie band.
Why You Should Listen: You know the drill: this is a nostalgia trip you want to go on.
Overall Thoughts: I don't know if anyone remembers that song "Crash" by The Primitives, maybe best known to American audiences via Dumb and Dumber. This album gives me a huge vibe like that song, and I am on board.
Recommendation: Great listen, definitely recommended this week.

Artist: Diane Coffee
Album: Everybody's a Good Dog
Quick Description: Foxygen side project that feels like a 1970s rock record.
Why You Should Listen: You're a fan of Foxygen and you find this appealing.
Overall Thoughts: Another album that didn't really work for me, it's just a weird album that feels a little out of place and is clearly more of a passion project than anything else.
Recommendation: You'll know within minutes if it's for you, but be wary.

Artist: Painted Palms
Album: Horizons
Quick Description: A mix between synth pop and psych rock.
Why You Should Listen: You wish the Elephant Six folks did more with synths?
Overall Thoughts: I feel like the description is kind of it for this. I liked this album, but I didn't love it and it didn't stick in my head for long. I'll want to spend more time, but, in a crowded week...
Recommendation: Give it a shot if you have the time.

Artist: Lou Barlow
Album: Brace the Wave
Quick Description: Lou Barlow (of Dinosaur Jr and Sebadoh) does a divorce record.
Why You Should Listen: You're into Lou Barlow.
Overall Thoughts: This is a stark, kind of heavy album, as one can imagine. I've always been up and down with Barlow's stuff, and this is no different for me. It's stripped down and interesting enough to be worthy of a listen.
Recommendation: Give this a shot if you're into what Barlow offers.

Artist: The Arcs
Album: Yours, Fondly
Quick Description: Psych side project of Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys).
Why You Should Listen: You're a Black Keys fan looking for some retro rock.
Overall Thoughts: Honestly, Temples does it better. I get that a lot of the appeal of The Black Keys is how they update the sort of blues rock genre, and this is an attempt to do so with a slightly different genre, so that's noteworthy, but I just didn't find it all that catchy on a whole - and that's going in with low expectations.
Recommendation: Unless you're a Black Keys fan, skip it.

Also out this week:

* Against Me! - 23 Live Sex Acts
* Miley Cyrus - Miley Cyrus and her Dead Petz
* Thunderbitch - Thunderbitch