Lou Barlow — Goodnight Unknown

With Dinosaur Jr. firing on all cylinders and Sebadoh back on the touring circuit, it's amazing Lou Barlow has time to sleep, let alone craft a brand new solo album. But dirth of material has never been Barlow's weakness; if anything, his problem's actually been self-editing.

Rather than just another side-project in a career that's been defined by them, Goodnight Unknown, the second record released under Barlow's own name, sounds like the most comprehensive synthesis of his creative muses. Although never as blistering as the last pair of Dinosaur LPs, the record runs the gamut from fast-paced rockers to lilting, Nick Drake-inspired folk, finding a perfect balance between the lo-fi work of early Sebadoh and the hi-fi production of his solo debut Emoh.

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