One of my favorite episodes of The Wonder Years was the one where Kevin joins a rock band called The Electric Shoes. On the night of their big debut Kevin utters something to the effect of, “We may not be good, but at least we’ll be loud.” Dinosaur Jr. was loud, extremely loud especially in the confines of a small club, but they were also good. Drummer turned guitarist J. Mascis, bassist Lou Barlow both formerly of Massachusetts hardcore punk band Deep Wound joined forces with drummer Murph from Connecticut punk band All White Jury to form Dinosaur in the fall of 1984. They added the Jr. to the name after a band of aging hippies named The Dinosaurs asked them to change their name. I suspect lawyers were involved.
The early days when they were just Dinosaur saw them alienate soundmen, club owners, and fans with the decibel level of their shows, but there was something unique going on underneath the maelstrom. They were fusing hardcore punk energy with Seventies style guitar bombast which at the time was revolutionary, even downright heretical. Another stylistic triumph was the laconic vocals of J. Mascis, sung like he could barely be bothered. They became label mates with Sonic Youth on Homestead Records which released their debut album in 1985. It still sounds strange today, but it was truly an oddity back then. Punk underpinnings meet hippie noodling, songs go through crazy tempo changes creating something new in the soon to be burgeoning college/alternative underground scene. Highlights of this first album are “Bulbs Of Passion”, Lou Barlow’s wistful “Forget The Swan” and “Repulsion” which was also the best track when it was included on the Homestead compilation The Wailing Ultimate.
Dinosaur Jr. would follow Sonic Youth to SST Records and release what most people feel is the quintessential Dinosaur Jr. album; You’re Living All Over Me. The noise was still there, but there was a better focus on song craft. Mascis, Barlow, and Murph were functioning as a cohesive unit on this record. The album opener “Little Fury Things” kicks the album off with a perfect example of the mature Dinosaur Jr. sound. “Sludgefeast” could have been a Sonic’s Rendezvous Band cut and that is a good thing. “In A Jar” is another classic, but it’s the cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” that usually gets the most notice. I remember when WRVU (the college radio station I liked to listen to) got numerous complaints from unhappy Cure fans whenever they dared to play the Dino Jr. version. You’re Living All Over Me was also Barlow’s songwriting swansong with the band. “Poledo” is a harbinger of what was to come with Sebadoh.
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