- Perhaps more than any band, Dinosaur Jr seemed to encapsulate ‘90s American indie rock – lank hair, anti-fashion, lo-fi production plus J Mascis’ fuzz drenched guitars and hazy croaked vocals like one massive aural shrug.

And yet the “slacker” vibe of the band was something of a ruse. Sure, their songs sounded like classic rock stumbling out of bed at noon on a Tuesday and J has always been suitably monosyllabic in interviews, but on closer inspection the songcraft is actually immaculate.

Ever since the classic line-up of J Mascis, Murph and Lou Barlow reunited in 2005, they have also defied the usual band reunion pitfalls by actually producing some of the best music of their career. The triumphant comeback record Beyond from 2007 blended the rumbling squall of classic late ‘80s records like You’re Living All Over Me and Bug with strikingly punchy songcraft – it was a simply breathtaking rock & roll album.

Obviously, it’s a tough call expecting them to replicate this awesomeness with every subsequent record, but the band have nonetheless continued to be a solid and significant guitar band.

Which brings us to new album Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not, a record that tones down the distortion to some degree, perhaps having more in common with ‘90s works like Green Mind and Where You Been.

It opens with the punchy power pop of Goin Down, blending crunchy riffs, effortless melodicism and Murph’s drums providing a hard rock backbeat. Just as good is next track Tiny where the winning indie pop hooks collide joyously with a couple of J’s “song-within-a-song” guitar solos.

Like all Dinosaur Jr records it is a J-dominated affair, but continues the relatively recent tradition of letting Lou Barlow contribute a couple of tunes as well – after all, his years in Sebadoh have more than proven his capabilities as a songwriter. Indeed, the stately, angular Left Right which closes the album recalls the more melodic, romantic side of that very band. Even better is his mid-album highlight Love Is… which recalls ‘60's garage rock and psych-pop whimsy.

As a whole album it’s mostly excellent. Admittedly the momentum slows with a couple of leaden tracks in the second half. For example, I Walk For Miles is stoner metal let down by a dull, droning melody.

Fortunately, the vast majority of the album is of the high standard we’ve come to expect from latter day Dinosaur Jr. It encapsulates what the band does best – rock music with heartbreak, hooks and warmth.

-Matt Thrower.