Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not

The intimacy it reaches on Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not is as hard won as it’s ever been. The band approaches it from the obtuse angles only it can, arriving there because of its excessive volume, its unorthodox tempos, and its lyrical inscrutability, not in spite of it. To the uninitiated, it may seem formulaic, but it’s the self-imposed limitations that make Dinosaur Jr. so distinctive.

It shocks by sounding as vital as Dinosaur Jr. ever has. Deciding to not to build upon the expansive textures of I Bet on Sky, the trio nevertheless sounds vividly oversaturated throughout Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not.

The band’s got a steady, comfortable grip on what’s make them sound great together, and Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not is, so far, perhaps the best distillation of this loud, glossy sound.

Everything that 30 years ago made Dinosaur Jr a lightning bolt of enervated languor is present here. [Sep 2016, p.59]

Dinosaur Jr have been an incredibly consistent outfit since reuniting, and Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not is another solid addition to their catalog. A step up from I Bet on Sky, it’s sure to please all Dino fans.

It all combines to create an album that, even all these years later, finds them back on top form.

In 2016, “long live rock” is way too sweeping, among other things. So long live this. It’s just about right.

Gnomic titles, introverted lyrics directed at a vaguely defined “you”, and yearning vocals rippling through an extravagantly brutish soup of sound: this band’s 30-year narrative arc is a straight line.

The album which confirms that the older, wiser Dinosaur Jr--Dinosaur Sr, if you will--compete on quality as well as quantity. [Sep 2016, p.73]

The tension that gave those early albums their fizzing energy may no longer be there, but in its place is a band operating at a far higher level. Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not is almost certainly the best album the reformed Dinosaur Jr have made so far.

The band keeps its aesthetic, but it keeps twisting it into new shapes. This shape might be the most personal one yet, and it’s as impressive and lasting as anything the band has made.

Dinosaur Jr. have succeeded in creating the ultimate gateway album, a perfect synthesis of all the ingredients that have made them one of the most intriguing and long-lasting guitar bands in recent history.

This reminds us how life-affirming their music can still be. [6 Aug 2016, p.53]

To be frank, it’s pretty much business as usual for Dinosaur Jr on Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not, but when the formula works this well, what’s the point in switching it up? Love live the fuzz.

Much of Give A Glimpse has the warm familiarity of a beloved sweater, but none of it sounds rote or autopilot. Mascis might be tending the same patch, but there's fresh flowers sprouting from that soil. [Sep 2016, p.88]

For the most part, though, this record is defined by its vibrancy, especially with bassist Lou Barlow's melodic vocal contributions to Love IS... and Left/Right. [Aug 2016, p.110]

Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not is more than just a routine 8/10 Dinosaur Jr album, it’s their most satisfying and realized post-reunion album yet.

If the 50something version of Dinosaur Jr is happy to keep refining a formula that was pretty damn fine in the first place, we’d be fools not to indulge 'em.

Overall, while they're not reinventing the wheel here, this is a very enjoyable album and their best work since 2007's Beyond.

Give a Glimpse does, however, stick largely to well-trod paths, with not a ton in the way of experimentation. As always, it’s Mascis’ guitar that is the main attraction here, the reason for caring.

Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not isn’t perfect, but it’s yet another solid record from a band that has rarely sounded better.

Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not is another fine entry into Dinosaur Jr.'s ever-expanding catalogue. Whether or not the group are attracting new listeners with these releases is unclear, but they're certainly doing nothing to dissuade old ones.

There's no denying the adroit songwriting that’s on display here (they are veterans, after all), as they continue to chug along with low-stakes, yet engaging releases that cement their place as living rock royalty who’ve never gotten their due.

Like the past three Dinosaur droppings, Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not presents more polished, reenergized (but not too much) versions of the fuzzy, impressionistic downer rock they helped pioneer 30 years ago.

Those noisy, waxy workouts (“Tarpit,” “The Post”) that served to make the hookier tunes even brighter on the ’80s Dinosaur albums have mainly been left behind with the band’s youth since their 2007 return. But the swaying, softer respites on Not prove just as effective.

Not given over entirely to the atmospherics of Beyond, the heavy jamminess of Farm, or the poppiness of I Bet on Sky, Give a Glimpse instead combines all those stylistic elements into a package that may not feature as many lastingly memorable songs, but is replete with all the welcome signatures of the band's sound.

There’s little here that will convert Dinosaur Jr sceptics. But for those who enjoy their nostalgic licks, Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not is a pretty satisfying addition to their back-catalogue.

The noise onslaught can grow a bit wearying, and it’s something of a relief when Lou Barlow takes the reins for two tracks: mournful closer Left/Right and album standout Love Is, which brings to mind the Folk Implosion at their most soulful.

The results are quirkily, unexpectedly appealing.

Despite its dips, there are plenty of strong reasons here to keep Dinosaur Jr from extinction.