Dinosaur Jr. — Beyond

Beyond is the first studio album featuring the original Dinosaur Jr. lineup since 1988's Bug, but J. Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph seem to have easily slipped into a familiar groove. Opener "Almost Ready" makes it sound like they've been playing together for years, and ranks among their best songs ever. Mascis' voice is unmistakable, and his guitar sound is almost as easily recognizable. But his extended wanking on "Pick Me Up" and "It's Me" pushes each of them past five minutes and proves that it can sometimes be possible to have too much of a good thing. Still, it's hard to quibble with the blissful squelch that the guitarist produces on "Been There All The Time" and the more restrained melodicism of "We're Not Alone." Barlow provides well-placed counter-punches with "Back To Your Heart" and "Lightning Bulb," which he both wrote and sang. It's been a long wait, but this should meet, if not go beyond, fan expectations.

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