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Alt. rock

It it doubtful that way back in 1984 when Dinosaur Jr came up with their monicker that they expected that their fuzzed-up alt. rock would support them in a career that would span 25 years, (break ups notwithstanding), and that they would actually have the legitimate option to change their name to the more fitting Dinosaur Sr. Still, here they are at the end of the Noughties, delivering the same epic and eclectic performances that have earned them a veritable legion of fans over the past two decades.

'Pieces' is a heavy pop-rock number in the style of Neil Young's 'Rocking In The Free World', yet with a slightly more laid-back delivery; the buoyant melody of the lead vocal, provided by grizzled front man J Mascis carries the song along in classic stoner style. The dejected cracking of Mascis' voice as he croons “Give me time to find the pieces of our love” posits him as Evan Dando in his most chemical years. Mascis' soloing is still a centrepiece of the band's music; the word 'epic' simply does not do his soaring fret-twiddling justice, as he offers a master class to any aspiring axe-heroes in how to deliver both overblown and understated beauty within the same eight bars.

For any doubters out there who had written this band as also-rans of the 1980's alt. rock fallout, then this is a testament to show how wrong you could be; with these ageing rockers still being able to turn out material like 'Pieces', then we are sure to see them add a few more 'Sr's to their name in the decades to come.