Dinosaur Jr. – Sweep It Into Space
Dinosaur Jr.’s latest album, Sweep It Into Space, is a perfect capsule of the band’s sound over the years. Consisting of their original power-trio lineup, the album’s 12 tracks bring to the table everything you imagine when thinking of this band. Fuzzed out guitars with kickin’ solos, great melodies, and a cohesive-yet-varied sound all mesh together perfectly to show a band that isn’t resting on their laurels and are just as creative and original now as they were 30+ years ago. You have tight, fuzzed out rock numbers next to country jams with a power pop number thrown in for good measure. It’s no wonder this band influenced countless musicians the years.
I have a confession to make… I chose to feature Sweep It Into Space not only because it’s an amazing album (it very much is), but because the cover features my favorite kaiju, Hedorah. I mean, how could I NOT buy this album?! TRML bait aside, Dinosaur Jr. has long been a band that I pop on whenever I need to cleanse my musical palette. Their music is something I can listen to with no strings attached that I know I’ll enjoy simply and thoroughly. Their jangly-yet-fuzzed out guitars and tight melodies delivered by J’s unique voice (or occasionally Lou’s voice) clears away all the musical junk that tends to clutter up my ol’ noggin. It’s a strange-yet-satisfying effect. And while Dinosaur Jr. likely won’t have that same effect on you, I certainly recommend giving them a spin on your turntable as their brand of “ear-bleeding country” is well worth it.