31st October - Dinosaur Jr.'s Bug

Artist – Album: Dinosaur Jr. - Bug

Released: 31^st October 1988

Sounds Like: Spooky scary

Happy Hallowe’en! I hope you’re all having a monster day! For those of you looking for a Hallowe’en friendly playlist, get yourself over to my special spooky post (and then make sure you hurry right back again). Today’s regular blog has all the ingredients to frighten you too – Dinosaurs and bugs are scary right??

If you don’t find extinct lizards or small insects particularly terrifying (OK, that might well be most of you) – never fear! – because there is also some gruesome mutilation to be horrified by. Yes, J. Mascis, quite possibly indie rock’s greatest axeman, produces some of his all-time best fretwork, with the likes of ‘Freak Scene’ and ‘Let It Ride’ in particular featuring fantastic, face melting solos. …No, they don’t literally melt faces, but they are 100% awesome…

Hmm… still not convinced? Tough audience… well, how about the paranoid, druggy lyrics and freaky titles such as ‘No Bones’ and ‘They Always Come’? No dice?

Last try. Dinosaur Jr. hated each other at this point, and the internal feuding would lead to the band’s collapse shortly thereafter. Principal songwriter J. Mascis wrote all the songs, including the album closer ‘Don’t’, which is a horrible metal effort and forces singer-bassist Lou Barlow to scream ‘Why don’t you like me’ again and again in a torturous loop. Pained screaming and sadistic torture is good right? Ahhhh, so I’ve finally spooked you. Maniacal laugh! Maniacal laugh! Maniacal laugh!

Albumaday... rating: 7/10

1.       Freak Scene – 3:36

2.       No Bones – 3:43

3.       They Always Come – 4:37

4.       Yeah We Know – 5:24

5.       Let It Ride – 3:37

6.       Pond Song – 2:53

7.       Budge – 2:32

8.       The Post – 3:38

9.       Don’t – 5:41

Listen to ‘Freak Scene’: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxLpEX2bt8w

Also released on 31^st October:

2000: Outkast – Stankonia