I Ran Away by Dinosaur Jr

Pic by Cara Totman

Later this month Dinosaur Jr will release Sweep Into Space, their 12th studio album, on 30th April. Co-produced by J Mascis and Kurt Vile, my appetite for the LP has been hugely enhanced by I Ran Away which is the sound of vintage Dinosaur Jr.

J Mascis' voice is beautifully strained and soulful, his guitar playing still makes me want to pick up an electric guitar, his rhyming style is at peak flowing levels. 

All in all, I Ran Away is everything I could possibly hope to hear from Dinosaur Jr in 2021 and more. Are they still this good, this fresh, this exciting - YES!

Sweep Into Space will be the bands 5th album since Mascis, Barlow and Murph re-united back in 2005, playing shows that then led to 2007's Beyond LP.

Mascis and Barlow continue to release solo/Sebadoh albums, but there is no denying that they create something special when they come together with Murph on drums.

The meet me where I know 3rd verse is written in exactly the same style and structure as the first two verses, but it's delivered differently, like a middle eight, it's so clever, so brilliant. And J's fills after each line in the chorus are sublime, the rhythm section is just constant, allowing the magic to happen. J's guitar solo is 25-seconds of escapism and pure joy.

35-years since their debut album, Dinosaur Jr continue to amaze and excite. Roll on the album and I hope we see the band return to Glasgow next year.

You can order Sweep Into Space from the good people at Monorail by CLICKING HERE

Soul and Fire

When I was 18 I bought a cheap second hand electric guitar and enjoyed making a racket in the garage of my family home. I could play a few chords and that kept me amused for a while. Then I got some lessons and my tutor asked me to make him a tape (this was a while ago!) of songs I would like to learn.

One of the first songs I wanted to learn was the heartbreaking Soul and Fire by Sebadoh. I'm pretty sure I would have discovered this song via my friend Grant Mitchell as we regularly swapped mix tapes and devoured the NME and Melody Maker at school and Grant was heavily into Lou Barlow and Sebadoh.

The chiming guitars that introduce the song melt my heart to this day, Barlow's lyrics are so beautiful and poetic, his delivery is sublime as he reflects on love, infatuation, the thrill of discovery, divine intervention and the cruel change and pain of rejection.

I marvel at how perfect the first verse is. And then we learn that Barlow has been dumped and thinks of his love changing her mind, but wondering if he actually cares, deciding it is he that think their love is coming to an end. It's brilliant songwriting. The line saying goodbye was so much fun gets me every time.

I still tend to stick to the same six chords on the guitar as I didn't take lessons for long, but I do enjoy making the occasional racket.

Anyway, what prompted this short blog is the fact that Sebadoh will play Broadcast in Glasgow on Friday 4th October, tickets are on sale tomorrow.

If you've not heard Soul and Fire then please check it out.

Lyrics, recorded version, acoustic demo version and live video below.

It's all a matter of soul and fire

Infatuation or true desire

The thrill of discovery, divine intervention

Cruel, cruel change, pain of rejection

As you walk away, think of all the joy we shared

If you decide you need me, I'll be wondering if I care

Not there to soothe your soul, friend to tender friend

I think our love is coming to an end

King persuader, congratulations

Share her heart, you bought her soul

Princess confusion, come to me again

Saying goodbye was so much fun

When you walk away, feel the freedom in your heart

There's a joy in letting go, free to find a love apart

When I lose control, I need a kind forgiving friend

But I think our love is coming to an end

I know our love is coming to an end

Dinosaur Jr at the Art School

Last night Dinosaur Jr played their second sold out night at the Glasgow School of Art and blasted away everyone's winter blues (minus 8 outside) with an array of warm guitars.

It was my first time seeing Dinosaur Jr, despite being into the band for a couple of decades and going through a phase of collecting their 7-inch singles. I was looking forward to seeing J Mascis shredding his guitar and blasting out songs from their long history. They didn't disappoint.

Everyone was wrapped up for the cold weather outside, so it was a little bit disappointing that the Art School didn't have a cloakroom open. So everyone was roasting inside.

Spinning Coin were supporting and they charmed the crowd, generating a good response from their mix of melodic songs (Sean Armstrong) and powerful (Jack Mellin). They've had a great year with a string of headline show, some fantastic support slots and the November release of their debut album Permo BLOG HERE

My brother and I departed for the downstairs bar and bumped into old school friend Grant Mitchell and his friend Mark Richie. Grant is an incredibly passionate record collector and had been to Lou Barlow's Nice n Sleazy matinee show the afternoon before, as well as Dinosaur Jr the night before. He told us we were in for a treat.

The Art School is a cracking venue, although the positioning of the sounddesk creates a bit of a bottleneck down either side. We skipped down the right hand side to the front and thankfully found we could dump our jackets by the stage.

Dinosaur Jr came on, Lou Barlow looked hyper, J Mascis looked relaxed/stoned/unbothered by the fanfare that greeted them. Grant made us laugh with his story that the crowd sang 'happy birthday' to him the previous night and he never even acknowledged it!

Mascis' guitar playing was a joy to watch, he just makes it look easy - zipping about his frets and creating joyful riffs and melodies.

Barlow was the star of the night for me though; looking trim and cool, acting like Animal from The Muppets had leapt from his drum kit to discover the joy of playing bass. He jumped, rocked out, played way up the neck of the bass, thrashed around and generally made it look fun and super cool.

Dinosaur Jr were tight, at times assisted by a second drummer. The songs from last years Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not are among their very best, but I'd be lying if I didn't say that Feel The Pain, Start Choppin' and Freakscene weren't my favourites.

I remember getting guitar lessons as an 18-year old and asking for help figuring out how to play Start Choppin'. So it was great to watch J's fingers dance around his various guitars and work his pedals and whammy bar and it was hard to take my eyes of Lou Barlow who was just the embodiement of indie cool.

How cool to rock up in a city and play a couple of small shows at the Art School and also do a matinee show at Sleazys? Indie cool.

Five for Friday, 21st October 2011

This week's Five for Friday digs deep into my CD and record collection for some tunes I haven't played in ages.

We start with Looper, fronted by Stuart David the former bassist of Belle and Sebastian. The song was used in the Vanilla Sky movie which has a tremendous soundtrack.

We then head Stateside for the sublime 'Such Great Heights' by The Postal Service, released on that lovely label that is Sub Pop.

Staying with Sub Pop we have the gorgeous harmonies of Beach House and 'Take Care' from their lovely album 'Teen Dream'. I still kick myself for not going to see them at Oran Mor.

Going back a little further and sticking with the Sub Pop vibe, we have one of my favourite tunes. It has been a while since I listened to it. It's one of those tunes I like so much that I have it on CD and vinyl. I remember buying it from the old Missing Records on Oswald Street back in the early 90's. The chiming guitar hooked me from the off and Lou Barlow's lyrics and voice just hooked me further. 'I think our love is coming to an end, I know our love is coming to an end'. Heartbreaking and life affirming at the same time. 'Saying goodbye, was so much fun.'

We go off on a slight tangent with the last tune, originally released on legendary Scottish label 53rd & 3rd, but I didn't get my hands on that EP, although a certain young Kurt Cobain in Seattle somehow did. However later on Sub Pop released the compilation 'The Way Of The Vaselines', another CD I bought from Missing Records. The innocence on this, the sheer sense of fun and the catchiness just brings a smile to my face every time.

Enjoy

'The sun shines in my bedroom, when you play,

and the rain it always starts, when you go away.'

Look out for the ferocious Nirvana cover version on Incesticide.