[dazedcola]

Dinosaur Jr. influenced Nirvana and laid the foundation for the grunge movement -- and now, with the original lineup reunited after a 16-year split, the trio are returning to their seminal, punk-meets-classic rock sound with their new album, Farm, out June 23. "It's totally old school," bassist Lou Barlow tells SPIN.com. "[The album] sounds like our first three."



But Dino's full-circle didn't come easily.
By now it's rock lore: The group -- Barlow, guitarist/singer J Mascis, and drummer Murph -- formed in Amherst, MA, in 1984. In 1989, after three albums (Dinosaur, You're Living All Over Me, and Bug), Barlow -- who had stopped talking to Mascis -- was told the band was breaking up. A day later Mascis and Murph reformed with a new bassist, and Barlow found out via an MTV News report.


In 2005, nearly a decade after the last Dino album (1997's Hand It Over), and 16 years since Barlow was booted out and began working full-time on his bands Sebadoh and, later, Folk Implosion, the guys reunited to release 2007's Beyond. The album is a respectable alt-rock effort with their characteristic melodic surge and eardrum-busting guitars. But there was something missing, says Barlow: the vitality they had in their younger days -- which is recaptured on Farm.


"It has an urgency," Barlow says of the upcoming record. "Right away I knew it was superior to Beyond."


How did they restore the original vibe? Barlow points to the tight deadline for the forthcoming effort: The group met in Mascis' home studio in Massachusetts in November and immediately had a February target for completion. This constraint, says Barlow, instilled a collective respect for their time together -- something they lacked when recording Beyond.


"Beyond was the first time I'd actually seen us throw stuff out [of the sessions]," Barlow says. But with the Farm sessions the band didn't dilly-dally; they recorded and refined all, and only, their 14 demos, including two covers -- "Houses," by '70s folk rocker Elise, and a Zombies song called "Whenever You're Ready."


New original songs include "Pieces," "You Are Weather," and "Imagination Blind" -- one of Barlow's two compositions for the record, which only has two chords and was written in the studio in one day.
In support of Farm, Dinosaur Jr. will hit the road this Spring on a 28-date U.S. tour. "We're playing a lot of places we've never played before," says Barlow. "We'll just play a normal, really good Dinosaur Jr. show."
Pack your earplugs, first-time concertgoers: "normal" means "really fucking loud."

Farm tracklisting:
1. "Pieces"
2. "I Want You To Know"
3. "Ocean In The Way"
4. "Plans"
5. "Your Weather"
6. "Over It"
7. "Friends"
8. "Said The People"
9. "There’s No Here"
10. "See You"
11. "I Don’t Wanna Go There"
12. "Imagination Blind"

[noisereductions]

kick ass. BEYOND was fucking great.

[pbradley]

What was the song in that video whoever posted of them in the studio? I didn't like it at all. Beyond has gone stale in my ears.

[deflinus]

Beyond was a great album. cant wait for this one

[StevOK]

Totally excited. 2009 is shaping up to be the best year for music in the decade (with 2004 being its main rival)

[vulva]

^^2007's been the best so far

[auto-aim]

I like the name... Farm. I agree the song on pitchfork wasn't all that exciting - though this has got me very much excited again.

[uhler]

i'll listen to anything once.

[noisereductions]

Originally Posted by vulva

^^2007's been the best so far

actually yes. Yeah. 2007 was an amazing year for music. I hoped 2008 would one-up it. But not quite. And I doubt 2009 will hit the same level either.

[baby bulldog]

Tour starts in Milford Connecticut of all places.I'll be there.

[noisereductions]

I wish Sebadoh would make a new album.
Not Lou solo.
Not a collection of outtakes/etc.
Just a new album.
That would be something.

[SonikJesus]

Beyond was a great album. They're definitely my fav reunion band (if you can even call it that anymore). They came back better than they were.

[ZEROpumpkins]

I liked Beyond a lot. This record is sounding promising.

[finding nobody]

I'm seeing them next month. MIKE WATT IS OPENING
holy shit I can't wait. Beyond was a decent record. My expectations are higher for this one.

[atsonicpark]

I think they signed with a Bloomington, Indiana-based record label.. if so, that means they'll be playing about 15 minutes from where I live on a regular basis. Though I'm not a huge fan, I'll still probably come out and catch a show or two. I mean, Mascis can shred with the best of 'em, so why not. I'll give the new album a chance either way. Thanks.

[Sonic Youth 37]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

I think they signed with a Bloomington, Indiana-based record label.. if so, that means they'll be playing about 15 minutes from where I live on a regular basis. Though I'm not a huge fan, I'll still probably come out and catch a show or two. I mean, Mascis can shred with the best of 'em, so why not. I'll give the new album a chance either way. Thanks.

The record label they signed to is mystery to me. Totally nothing like what I was expecting them to do.

Yeah, Mike Watt is opening on the date I have tickets for too. On the "Mike Watt and the Missingmen" Myspace they do a cover of "Little Johnny Jewel" that isn't bad.

[pbradley]

If anyone doesn't mind killing their blissful anticipation, here's Barlow performing his "Imagination Blind" from the new album.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wlzr6HCtKo

Yeah, way fucking Sebadoh sounding.

[ZEROpumpkins]

Sebadoh also owe us another album sometime soon

[atsonicpark]

For some reason, I didn't even know until recently that Jagjaguwar was from around these parts. But there's been a lot of talk around town about Dinosaur Jr. signing to 'em so ... cool.

[lechaoscestmoi]

i'm listening to beyond now for the first time in 2.5 years and it's great. can't wait for the new album.