Dinosaur Jr. - Farm (15 Year Anniversary Edition)

Released:  16/08/24

One of the very highest high points from my days playing in a band was supporting Dinosaur Jr. at The Electric Ballroom; it made sense from a musical point of view, given that we sounded a bit like the J Mascis and co. if they had Kevin Shields on guitar (we went hard on the whammy bar, microtonal thing ¦). While I resolved not to speak to Mascis when I saw him backstage “ I didn't want to incur the wrath (or more likely apathy) of the famously monosyllabic frontman “ we did get to meet' Murph. This interaction entailed the legendary drummer wandering into our dressing room not long after we'd played and, without saying anything at all, picking up the remaining two cases of our rider beer “ all the while smilingverysweetly at us “ and immediately oiling off back to whence he'd came.

Anyway, still one of my all-time favourite bands, any reissue of Dino's work featuring the original, holy triumvirate of Mascis, Murph and Lou Barlow, asFarmdoes, is a happy day indeed. Originally released in 2009, a few years after they'd reformed, the record is less the post-hardcore ofYou're Living All Over MeandBug, and more the blistering-yet-plaintive down-home Crazy Horse-esque fuzzed-up, melodic slacker rock that also defined 2007'sBeyond. Plus, this  expanded, deluxe edition of the LP features four songs never pressed to vinyl and never given worldwide release: Houses', the instrumental Creepies', Show', and an excellent cover of The Zombies' Whenever You're Ready'.