Day 0626 - Bug

Dinosaur Jr "Bug" (1988)

Another album of Dinosaur Jr's noisy alt-rock that I didn't really warm to.   Apparently even lead singer/guitarist Jay Mascis isn't the biggest fan of this one.

This album is another mix of noisy guitar accompanying occasionally melodic vocal.  The book makes comparisons to Neil Young, and I guess if you were being particularly imaginative you could go along with that.

It was the last album with the original line-up.   Mascis fired bassist/singer/songwriter Lou Barlow after this album and brought the band fully under his control.   Barlow went on to form the band Sebadoh where he could get his creative ideas out.

Day 0587 - You're Living All Over Me

Dinosaur Jr "You're Living All Over Me" (1987)

Wasn't overly familiar with Dino Jr outside of one or two tracks.  This seems kind of like droney, sensitive shoegazer stuff.  Washy guitar rock but with an element of noise rock, and maybe a little more emotion to it.  The Dino Jr mix of noise and melody is maybe best displayed on their cover of Peter Frampton's "Show me the way", with squeals and whines backing the pleasant tune.

Another one that I have enjoyed without going gaga for it.  I can certainly see this being a building block towards the 90s/grunge sound.