Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not by Dinosaur Jr.
Release: August 5, 2016
Style: Alternaitve Rock
Length: 46 min.
I'm actually quite the Dinosaur Jr. fan. As a long time aspiring critic and a music buff, I honestly think Dinosaur Jr. is right up there with bands like CCR, Metallica, and Beach Boys. I know it's a bit odd to be comparing an alternative band to swamp rock, vocal pop and metal bands, but I'm talking about overall quality of the albums in general. As a result, I expect other future releases to be quite good. “Give a Glimpse” might not be as good as their previous greats like Green Mind, Living, and (dare I say it) I Bet On Sky, but it's still worth a listen and worth any Dino Jr. fan's money.
This is going to be hard talking a lot about a great album with such a predictable alternative sound. In the first second, I was sure of my expectations: an enjoyable album that doesn't change Dinosaur Jr.'s gleefully generic sound at all. “Going Down” carries a fast and furious beat akin to a punk song, but with a voice like J Mascis', you know the song has a deeper sense of meaning than a stereotypical punk song, especially considering modern alternative is pretty much about meaning. “Tiny,” the lead single, is much more ecstatic, even though it's a little slower and more meaningful. A worthy Dinosaur Jr. track. “Be a Part” is much more beautiful. It has two wonderfully soothing guitars working together to create a nice intro. I guess what separates Dino Jr. from other generic alt. Rock bands is their ability to convey emotion while carrying a highly dance-worthy musical quality. “Be a Part” made me think about this while typing this. I then thought to myself, “This is the first time in a couple years I had to seriously think about a song.” Tiny might be the lead single, but this song is so much better. If t has any flaw, the guitar solo (which is still great) doesn't do anything to emphasize the emotion in the song. Next comes “I Told Everyone.” It seems that the production is intentionally, slightly more fuzzy, and the cymbals are what really drive the rhythm. I suppose that's unique for the album. Still, it's good Dinosaur Jr. fun that never gets tiring. It could be a bit better since it doesn't live up to the same lyrical, musical, and emotional levels that “Glimpse's” previous tunes had. It was time for Lou Barlow to take some songwriting (and I think lead singing. “Love Is” is quite pleasant. It's the most romantic song on the album, and a little bit of a turn around for the album. It retains the same sound, but goes in a completely different place. “Good to Know” starts with an almost power metal level riff that quickly turns into the most active track on the album.
“I Walk for Miles” seems to steer more towards hard rock and the heavier side of alternative. It is more drum based and carries raspier and deeper guitars. I think it would be more relatable to those that aren't into alternative rock, and it would probably make a good introduction song to Dinosaur Jr. “Lost All Day” goes back to Dino Jr.'s familiar sound, but goes for a cheerier sound slightly reminiscent of cheery bands like Beach Boys. And the rhythm is great. The guitars are more focused on the rhythm and construction of the song, even if J Mascis' part isn't really based on enough rhythm to keep up. “Knocked Around” is a much slower and softer tune, but it allows all of the band members to focus on rhythm in their own way to create a good lullaby somewhat unique for Dinosaur Jr. One of the best tracks on the album. However, as I thought, the second half of the song is based upon a serious riff that allows all of the band members to go crazier and still maintain a rhythm. “Mirror” starts out similarly to the previous track, but entirely different. Although both start with short drum solos, this one is much more rhythmatic and driven by the cymbals. The construction of the song uses a little bit of redundancy to build its complexity in comparison to the rest of the album. I don't think the band thought that far ahead when they wrote it, but that seems to be what they pulled off. But it's real focus is meaning, the same meaning I've been talking about during the beginning of my review. During the second half, another crazy (but surprisingly fitting) guitar solo takes up most of the second half, even during the singing. A clever move for the track. As soon as the Arby's commercial on YouTube got done, the final track, “Left/Right” came on. Lou Barlow takes the singer's position while a simple guitar riff backs him up. Both vocalists sing with an excellent aura. So serene, and yet, fitting for their energy. “Left/Right” is a simple, worthy ending to the work.
If it weren't for a couple of songs, this would be as good as their best works. Still, I can call it a great album because there's actually a lot to take from this. Dinosaur Jr. are like KISS. They have a very generic sound, but they make it so much fun. I never expect anything too different from a Dinosaur Jr. album, including “Glimpse.” And I'm glad, too.
87/100.