Dinosaur Jr | Beyond (Fat Possum)
Dinosaur Jr
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The other reason Beyond is not Bug part II is that Lou Barlow’s songs are not posthardcore anthems of virginal rage; they sound like Bakesale outtakes. And they’re the album’s only real source of heat.
Since burying a decades-old hatchet in late 2005, the band’s reissued their first three albums, made their reunion debut on late-night TV, logged sold-out tours, done the festivals, and issued collector’s edition Dinosaur Jr Nike Dunks. Plus, there’s a live DVD and a 53-track reissue of Barlow’s solo material on the way. Amid all that, they still found the time to add an utterly mediocre record to their otherwise nearly flawless discography. –Jessica Hopper
Newsom’s music alone is a marvel, but what makes her a great artist is how demanding she is of herself and her listeners. A lot of respected indie bands get by on four chords and broken hearts; they ask nothing of us and our empathy is automatic. Newsom gets epic and elaborate and dares us to hang on for the ride. –Jessica Hopper
On City of Echoes, which comes out June 5, the riffs still carve up the wallpaper and the guitars breathe and shimmer with sustain, but Pelican has reined in the bombast and tightened the screws. The melodies remain expansive, which is important since Pelican is not a showy “technical” band that elicits oohs and aahs for its raging solos. The postmetal field has grown exponentially in the last few years and Pelican deserve credit for playing to their strengths: had they aspired to greaterness, they would have risked becoming a parody of themselves. This record represents a success. —J.R. Nelson
