There Near is Dinosaur Jr.'s sixth studio album since their 2005 return, and it sounds like the trio have decided to turn the amps up another notch. J Mascis's guitar is especially rough-edged, with the souped-up Fender character of a 1970s Mesa Boogie MK 1 behind the noise. Murph drives the songs with a loose, heavy swing, while Lou Barlow's bass keeps the low end moving. Even “Put It Down,” the closest thing here to a ballad, eventually breaks into burning guitar distortion.
Recorded in short bursts over a year at Amherst's Bisquiteen Studio, the album was made almost entirely by Mascis, Barlow and Murph, with Ken Mauri adding piano and organ. The faster cuts hit hard, but the sequencing leaves room for more melodic turns, and Mascis's blurred, half-mumbled lyrics keep the words open to interpretation. Barlow contributes “Blowin' Up” and “No Ones Ready,” both built on friendlier melodies with much sharper political edges. Anyone coming for Dinosaur Jr.'s familiar mix of noise, hooks and battered rhythm playing should find plenty here, especially if their preferred version of the band is the one that sounds close to falling apart.
