Formed as Dinosaur in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984, Dinosaur Jr. had a huge influence on American indie/alternative music, including grunge. The band has three distinct periods: the Lou Barlow years (1984–1989); the J Masics years, after J fired Lou (1990–1997); and the reunion years with the reformed original line up of Lou, J, and Murph (2005–Present). It was circa 1989, on Long Island, when I first heard DJ’s cover of the Cure’s “Just Like Heaven” on the radio and was entranced. Not until my college years did I get my hands on You’re Living All Over Me, the album that accompanied me to Europe in summer 1994; was a mainstay in my car that fall while working at a health food store in my hometown; and inspired me to purchase every DJ album I could find (which was not easy to do back then).
The only thing worse than going insane is the fear of going insane. At the end of my junior year in college, I suddenly felt like I was going crazy. Thankfully, it turned out to be anxiety and with proper diagnosis and counselling I was able to learn effective coping skills without the need for medication. During my recovery over the next year or so, I listened to a lot of second period DJ which was basically the J Mascis solo period. While the cryptic lyrics about insanity and heartache were still there, without Lou’s misanthropic vibes and his tension with J, the ‘90s DJ was like a ray of guitar sunshine. The major label suits were hoping J Mascis would be the next Kurt Cobain- he was not- and this second incarnation of DJ (along with Nirvana) soon went extinct. Here are some of my favorite DJ. songs. Enjoy!
01. Dinosaur Jr. – “Rude” (2012)
02. Dinosaur Jr. – “Crumble” (2007)
03. Dinosaur Jr. – “Kracked” (1987)
04. Dinosaur Jr. – “Just Like Heaven” (1989)
05. Dinosaur Jr. – “I Know Yer Insane” (1997)
06. Dinosaur Jr. – “Freak Scene” (1988)
07. Dinosaur Jr. – “Nothin’s Goin’ On” (1997)
08. Dinosaur Jr. – “I’m Insane” (1997)
09. Dinosaur Jr. – “Almost Ready” (2007)
10. Dinosaur Jr. – “Pick Me Up” (2007)
Listen to the playlist on Spotify...
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