Dinosaur Jr.
You're Living All Over Me


5.0
classic

Review

by Neoteric USER (86 Reviews)
December 31st, 2006 | 721 replies


Release Date: 1987 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Besides from the production and J's voice, this is absolute essential stuff.

Dinosaur Jr have always been quite a familiar name to myself. I am a big fan of grunge, alt. rock and other genres like that so it’s no wonder how familiar the band is to me. The band (along with The Pixies) are considered few of the bands to help with the alternative rock boom that exploded in the 90s. You’re Living All Over Me is easily the band’s magnum opus, clocking in at just under 40 minutes and adds to the classics that elbow you in the face and run away just as fast (like Pinkerton, which clocks in at under 35 minutes). Albums like these show that classic albums don’t need to be epic or extremely long to get the point across. You’re Living All Over Me is a very uncomplicated LP, with only really having guitar, bass, drums and vocals throughout. That’s the way it should be though and anything fancy would just ruin the album. If you haven’t guessed the production isn’t amazing, the sound is overall very muddy and sludgy but what really packs the punch is the superior songwriting and the emotion the album puts across very well.

Without a doubt the band is pushed by J Mascis. A name that comes straight to mind when one thinks of the band. J Mascis handles all the guitar work (obviously being the only guitarist in the band), does the vocals and writes all but two songs (“Lose” is written by Lou Barlow who is the bassist and “Show Me The Way” was written by Peter Frampton). His guitar work is extraordinary, barraged by loads of distortion and plenty of wah. His guitar sound is just dripping with raw emotion and his voice adds to that as well. On a casual listen, his voice can be quite lazy and not bothered but further listening proves it is very moving and drives a lot of the songs (“Little Fury Things” and “Raisans” for one example). J also solos quite a lot which is a bit unusual for this type of band but it works while not immensely adding to the experience. Lou Barlow’s bass lines are thick and crunchy and while J’s guitar lines will always be stronger, Lou is in the back helping the guy out. Murph isn’t a spectacular drummer and isn’t anything out his league but for what he does, it definitely works well with the band.

The best song on this disc is obviously “Little Fury Things”, with it’s guitar intro drenched in buckets and buckets of wah and something that sounds like a banshee screeching in the background until a completely different motive pops up and the guitar line turns beautifully smooth and J’s vocals add an amazing feel to it. Then J’s voice sounds out of key a lot in the verse but it definitely adds up. Such an immense song and is one of my favorites of all time, never mind the album. The second best on the album has to be “Raisans” which is again driven by J’s voice. Again, out of key in the verse but beautifully sounding in the chorus. The part at 45 seconds simply sends a chill up the spine every time it is played. A great effect and adds to the song. It is completely impossible to think of a third favorite song as they are all amazing except “Poledo” which seems like pointless filler and drags on for nearly six minutes.

At times, this album can be very inaccessible to a lot of people. This is probably down to the production and J Mascis’s voice. The production is very poor and everything sounds muddy which can detract people (I love the production but others may think otherwise) and J’s voice isn’t exactly a singing voice. His voice is very prone to cracking, going out of key and he sounds like he’s struggling at times. To me, it’s beauty but to others, it just sounds like a guy who can’t sing to save himself. When one can get into the album though, this when it gets really enjoyable as most alt rock albums suffer from poor production. This album is true sense to the word classic and there isn’t anything non-enjoyable about it when the non-accessibility factors go away. Every track except “Poledo” is absolutely amazing in it’s own right. Essential to alt rock, grunge and rock fans.



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user ratings (1480)
4.3
superb
other reviews of this album
ScotchBonnet CONTRIBUTOR (5)
Twisted, melodic mega-distortion....

Deadwing42 (5)
A fuzz drenched masterpiece from start to finish...

The Jungler (4.5)
...

rock4Him (2)
An overindulgence in pretension, or just incompetence?...



Comments:Add a Comment 
Neoteric
December 31st 2006


3243 Comments


I'd like it if people commented on the review rather than the rating

The Jungler
December 31st 2006


4826 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

About time someone else did this.

Its hard for me to say which of the 3 indie records DJ produced is the best, but it's probably this one. The guitar work is really something else.

Good review, we have a pretty similar opinion on the record, even though I completley disagree with you on Poledo (its such a good song). You also might want to add that track to that Songs J didn't write section, as that is a Lou Barlow track as well.

These days I much prefer Lou's voice to J's, which is probably why I like Poledo so much and why Lose is my favorite song on the CD (they were both sung by Lou).

Neoteric
December 31st 2006


3243 Comments


I just find Poledo boring Yeah, I prefer J's voice a lot more that Lou's.

Eliminator
December 31st 2006


2067 Comments


Not that good.

JohnXDoesn't
December 31st 2006


1395 Comments


i like your review. its good. i have not heard this but just put it on. so far so good. i think i should say Green Mind is one of my favorite albums ever. i've wanted to review it for awhile, but don't have the words for it. thats how it is with music i feel overwhelmed by. i wonder if you would do it?This Message Edited On 12.31.06

Neoteric
December 31st 2006


3243 Comments


Umm.. sure. Except Green Mind is one of the only Dinosaur Jr albums I haven't heard. But I will listen to it and give it a go.This Message Edited On 12.31.06

The Jungler
December 31st 2006


4826 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I don't find Green Mind to be all that great. Certainly not better than anything from the indie days of Dinosaur Jr.

metallicaman8
December 31st 2006


4677 Comments


Pos'd. No band interest, though.

JohnXDoesn't
December 31st 2006


1395 Comments


I don't find Green Mind to be all that great. Certainly not better than anything from the indie days of Dinosaur Jr.


well its just one of my fave albums ever. don't know how good or not good it is. thats why i can't review it. i really love it. all objectivity goes out the window This Message Edited On 12.31.06

Neoteric
December 31st 2006


3243 Comments


Well I find Where You Been a good album so we'll see when I listen to it.

metallicaman8
December 31st 2006


4677 Comments


What a surprise.


What's your point?

Eliminator
December 31st 2006


2067 Comments


but metallicaman loves the rap musics

metallicaman8
December 31st 2006


4677 Comments


My point is that you should start getting interested in bands outside your little circle of 80's metal.


Soundgarden, Alice In Chains, Fleedwood Mac, Boston, Children Of Bodom, DragonForce, Opeth, I Mother Earth, (early) Green Day, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Led Zeppelin, Tool, Rage Against The Machine, Bare Naked Ladies, The Presidents Of The United States Of America, Wood Of Ypres, Johnny Cash, Queen, Santana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Stone Temple Pilots.

Those are just a few non-eighties-metal bands I enjoy, off the top of my head.

metallicaman8
December 31st 2006


4677 Comments


gg.

metallicaman8
December 31st 2006


4677 Comments


okay thanks at least someone noticed that i have a good point that mm8 won't listen to


So, you're saying I need to expand my musical horizons? Well, little do you know I've been working on that quite a bit as of late. The main reason I have no interest in this is I have too much other stuff I currently want to look into. More Coheed&Cambria, Sonic Youth, Nine Inch Nails, Godspeed You! Black Emporer, more Pavement and some other stuff, most of which was recommended by Two Headed Boy. So, there.

Hatshepsut
December 31st 2006


1997 Comments


I don't like Green Mind. I like the review though.

metallicaman8
December 31st 2006


4677 Comments


thats good although i don't see why you're getting so worked up


I'm actually quite calm. I could see how you would think otherwise, though. One's mood is difficult to read over the internet.

Neoteric
December 31st 2006


3243 Comments


It's satisfying seeing people get out their little metal circles.

MM8, why don't you listen to this album?

Two-Headed Boy
January 1st 2007


4527 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I like this review, short and to the point. I'll have to check this band out, though I've only seen their newer stuff around.



mm8 and chan, just give it a rest for a while. It's not entertaining anymore.

Two-Headed Boy
January 1st 2007


4527 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Nothing wrong with it, it just kinda seems to me that both of you are looking for ways to try and incite argument. It's probably just me, though.



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