Customer Reviews

Farm

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is the rock album of the year.

1. Buy it
2. Listen to it
3. Repeat step 2

I was floored when "Beyond" came out. I was always a huge fan of the band, and was absolutely overjoyed to hear they got back together. When I listened to that album for the first time, I felt like it was 1989 all over again, but in a good and relavent way. That great feeling I got with "Beyond", is present ten-fold with "Farm".

"Plans", "Said The People", and "I Don't Wanna Go There" are instant American classics. They're catchy and substantive. Not always an easy combo to find. Hearing Barlow sing "Imagination Blind" and "Your Weather" is a wonderful thing. More bands should mix up the singing duties. It just completely diversifies a band's sound.

Oh, and even if you don't like amazing music, you should buy the album just for the art. I haven't smoked weed in years, but it ALMOST makes me want to puff again:P I might even buy the vinyl just for the creepy but cool art.

Buy it now.

Reunions are a tricky thing. After enough years apart, the question always is whether the spark that once seemed to exist between a particular set of musicians can be revived. Often times, the results can be a little flat or tepid. However, when the original lineup of Dino Jr. came together after nearly 20 years (Barlow was kicked out of the band in the late 80s) to create Beyond (2007), they seemed to pick up right where they had left off. This follow-up proves that this was no accident, and it's great to see this group continuing to work together.

Dino Jr., for those of you who may be new to the band, is a group of dudes from Massachusetts who got their start in the mid 80s and have been seen by some critics as the could-have-been-Nirvana (Curt Cobain was a fan, and was very influenced by the band's sound). However their sound was always a bit too oddball to make it in the commercial mainstream despite a substantial cult following. The band continued making records after founding member Lou Barlow was kicked out in about 1988 (he went on to form the indie godfathers Sebadoh, which was one of my favorite bands when I was in high school), and even enjoyed some commercial success. However, by this point Dino Jr. was pretty much a J Mascis project. Throughout the band's history, the music was characterized by its guitar-centric loudness combined with an increasing sense of melody as time passed.

The original lineup's reunion in 2007 was impressive. The band turned in a truly stunning set of songs, which set the blazing guitars against strong hooks and a high level of energy. This new album follows in the same vein, with hooky material drowned in a sea of delicious guitar fuzz. If anything, the guitar takes an even more prominent role in some of these tracks, giving the music an almost jammy feel. It's loose and spontaneous sounding, and must have been a lot of fun to record. While the songs are perhaps not quite at the same level as those on Beyond, they're very similar in texture and approach. I just got this disc so I'm not sure which songs will be the standouts yet. However, there isn't a bad one in the pack.

Highly recommended for guitar-rock fans, people who like high-energy alt rock, and really anyone with an open mind. Great for driving too.

This is the rock album of the year.

1. Buy it
2. Listen to it
3. Repeat step 2

I was floored when "Beyond" came out. I was always a huge fan of the band, and was absolutely overjoyed to hear they got back together. When I listened to that album for the first time, I felt like it was 1989 all over again, but in a good and relavent way. That great feeling I got with "Beyond", is present ten-fold with "Farm".

"Plans", "Said The People", and "I Don't Wanna Go There" are instant American classics. They're catchy and substantive. Not always an easy combo to find. Hearing Barlow sing "Imagination Blind" and "Your Weather" is a wonderful thing. More bands should mix up the singing duties. It just completely diversifies a band's sound.

Oh, and even if you don't like amazing music, you should buy the album just for the art. I haven't smoked weed in years, but it ALMOST makes me want to puff again:P I might even buy the vinyl just for the creepy, but very cool art.

The extra tracks are very sweet.

Buy it now.

The first decade of the new millennia, often characterized by an extreme sense of nostalgia, saw the resurrection of many 80s and 90s era rock bands. While each band who came back from the bargain bin engendered reactions ranging from "I should have known" (The Smashing Pumpkins) to "I never would have thought" (The Pixies), there were a couple of groups who truly did the unthinkable and released new indie rock albums that were just as good as their old alternative rock albums. One such band, Dinosaur Jr., shocked everyone when they came together to record a new album not only because of their vitriolic breakup, but because the album in question, Beyond, wound up as one of the best albums of the year. In a turn of events that should have surprised no one, but probably shocked many, Dinosaur Jr.'s follow up, Farm, is even better than their last album.

Farm's cover art, consisting of two Ents carrying naked children in the palms of their hands, provides a psychedelic connection from J. Mascis to the guitar rock gods of yore (c. 1970s). Some of the longer set pieces twist and turn until they invert themselves to reveal expansive guitar solos. The penultimate song, the almost nine-minute "I Don't Want to Go There," begins with a tempo that chugs along like an old car, but as it makes its way across different landscapes, the soaring song finally ends with a monster solo that bites off the entire second half of the running time. Mascis's proficiency with guitar solos so sharp they could skin cats is a singular gift to be sure, but his talents can be traced back to his acknowledged inspiration, Neil Young. I must admit that, aside from Mascis's voice, I never gave much thought to the comparison, but on Farm you can see the band growing into the profile of Young, much as a man's bones stretch in later years to reveal his grandfather's hidden genetic mark. In some ways Farm sounds as if Neil Young had continued to follow the punk rock inspiration he found when recording the album Rust Never Sleeps.

That's not to say the album is devoid of the great pop songs the band has always delivered. Both "I Want You to Know" and "See You" skip along with such ease that the band makes them look easy, even if few bands write songs this enjoyable two decades into their career. "Over It" is notable for not only being one of the most radio ready songs off the album, but because the song title easily plugs into narratives about the reunion of once avowed enemies, J. Mascis and Lou Barlow. For his part, this time around Barlow's harmonies float higher and his songs are tighter. It is this ability to balance guitar solo freak outs and pop songwriting that makes such a long album seem epic but not overblown (Arcade Fire, take note).

Like a circus daredevil who moves on to higher, more dangerous, heights, many are waiting to see when Dinosaur Jr. will fall. After two outstanding comeback albums how does a band keep on creating excitement? At this point it is probably safe to no longer see Dinosaur Jr. as a reunion band because these albums fit so well within their canon of work. There will be other great albums (and probably some not as great albums) but it is safe to say that watching this band follow its muse into the new millennium will be as rewarding and unpredictable one of Mascis's searing solos.

Great album, but somebody should mention that this CD was mastered TOO FREAKING LOUD. The mix is fuzzy-on-purpose (OK!) but the volume adds a layer of constant distortion. "Beyond" had the same problem - unintentional blur, a gauzy roar between me and the music. But hey, ruinous uber-mastering is the industry standard. Who even notices anymore? I remember a time when CDs weren't designed to blow your head off and consumers could be trusted with a volume knob.

This cd is nothing short of spacticular ****

And no I would not consider myself a big Dinosaur Jr fan either

I have gone into depth with a couple of theiir albums Green Mind and Where You Been. But have never heard as much polished songs as on "Farm"

On this album FARM its thou they have "cultivated" all of their previous works with and without BARLOW lineups, into one great album........

Stand out Tracks are

*Said The People*
*See You*
*Plans*

but all could easily stand out which is the bueaty of this albm........
No songs sound the same
Not to mention the Guitar work
One thing about Dino Jr if you like guitar your prlly gunna listen to them, very melodic and catchy riffs that get stuck in your head,
almost painting a vivid picture in your mind, almost taking you on a trip for say ;-)

Highly recommended to those who like an orginal sounding band
Perhaps and overlooked band
Great guitar work, and no i dont mean play as fast as you can
A flat out great album that may be in your player for awhile

Wow! When the original Dino Jr. trio got back together, no one expected 2007's 'Beyond' to be as great as it was. That record pales in comparison to this one though, 'Farm' is simply brilliant from beginning to end. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this album, every track is brilliant, the playing is great, J's solos are incredible, Lou's two tracks are among his best. If you are a Dino fan, this is essential!

Farm is easily on par with Dino jr's top albums. As expected there are guitars a plenty with some amazing soloing. It's also very catchy and melodies stay with you after listening. Lou Barlow's two contributions are excellent, in fact there isn't one bad song here. You can easily listen to the whole thing then want to listen again and again.

If you liked Beyond then you will definitely like Farm. As much as I like the early albums with the original 3, I think J and Lou's vocals have improved over time, which may make Beyond and Farm better starting points for newbies.

It's a good listen. I'm not a long-time fan or devotee - just heard a couple of tracks on Pitchfork for the first time and ordered this new release. Great guitar work, nice power trio sound - and catchy tunes. Nice tight production and certainly studio polish. Could've used a stronger producer's hand to shorten some of the final tracks, but the bonus CD is a treat.

It is rare that a regrouping such as this should create a stir, but this one definitely did. This album is astounding. Track 11 is worth the price of the album, but that is not to devalue the rest of the album. I have been a DJ fan for 20 years and they keep me coming back for more. Buy this album, as you will not be sorry. I am set to see them in Mannheim, Germany on May 22, 2010 and can hardly wait. This album brings me joy, that is all that I can say. You will not be disappointed in the album.