Dinosaur Jr. has come a long way from their first, raw album You’re Living All Over Me. While some will undoubtedly claim that the band has never been better than this energetic and brash debut LP, others have remained stalwart fans, praising the band’s work since their reunion in the early aughts.
I Bet on Sky showcases the same relaxed groove that Dinosaur Jr. creates so well infused with periodically crunchy guitars and smoother, more polished contemporary sound mixing. The album begins with the straightforward and quick guitar strumming of “Don’t Pretend You Didn’t Know” in which minor melodies work perfectly with Mascis’s vocal range. I Bet On Sky eventually reveals subtle surprises and flourishes like the understated brass on the plodding verses of “Almost Fare,” which also features a sick guitar solo in the song’s final minute.
One distinct difference between indie rock veterans Dinosaur Jr. and many contemporary indie-rock bands lies in the lengthy arrangements. I always tend toward a tighter, shorter pop song, but Dinosaur Jr.’s ability to keep the energy of a song moving for almost five minutes on most of their songs makes me second guess my incessant criticism of long songs. The shortest song of the collection comes in the form of “Pierce the Morning Rain”—a reckless and blistering number that contains the phrase that gives the album its title. Mascis, Barlow, and Murph close with the album’s longest song, “See It On Your Side,” which meanders vocally over distorted guitar riffs and epic production. The track is sonically devastating.
When the Pixies got back together, I practically seized with happiness. When they announced a new song, I thought I might die prematurely from a stroke of joy—until I heard it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen them almost half a dozen times since their reunion, and they kill it every time. However, I can’t help but feel a twinge of envy for long time Dinosaur Jr. fans who not only get their band back, but are paid the added interest of great, new material every few years.
