Artist: Dinosaur Jr. Album: Green Mind

Year: 1991
Duration: 55:01

A Critical Review of Dinosaur Jr.'s Album Green Mind

Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band that has been around since the 80s, and their music has a lasting impact on the music industry. Their fourth studio album, Green Mind, was released in 1991 and marked a significant step towards a more refined sound. With 12 tracks that spanned over 49 minutes, Green Mind is an album that undoubtedly showcases the band's immense talent. Let's dive into this album and discover what makes it a unique addition to their discography.

Let's start with a brief history of Dinosaur Jr. They were established in 1984, and the band originally consisted of J Mascis on guitar and vocals, Lou Barlow on bass guitar and backing vocals, and Murph on drums. Throughout their career, they have released numerous critically acclaimed records that helped shape the alternative rock sound. The band's music is heavily influenced by punk rock, noise rock, and classic rock and incorporates distorted guitars, catchy riffs, and emotive vocals.

Green Mind represents a departure from the band's earlier work. The album was recorded with Mascis playing all the instruments instead of working with a consistent band to record, and some would argue that this change resulted in a loss of energy and cohesion. However, the album still manages to showcase the best of the band's sound.

The album's strongest tracks include The Wagon, Puke and Cry, and Muck. These songs display the band's versatility and mastery of mixing distorted guitars with soaring melodies. The Wagon stands out for its explosive guitar intro and Mascis' emotive vocals. Puke and Cry showcases Mascis' ability to craft powerful and compelling ballads, and Muck features a catchy chorus that is sure to get stuck in your head.

Green Mind's most innovative moment comes with the song Thumb, which is perhaps the album's standout track. Thumb clocks in at over eight minutes and features guitar riffs that seem to build up and then fade away throughout its duration, ultimately leading to a noisy, feedback-laden climax. The song is somewhat of a departure from the rest of the album and showcases the band's experimental side.

Despite its strengths, Green Mind is not a perfect album. The production quality leaves much to be desired, and the lack of a consistent band dynamic makes the music feel disjointed at times. However, these shortcomings do not detract from the brilliant songwriting and musicianship that the album offers.

In conclusion, Dinosaur Jr.'s Green Mind is an album that showcases the band's talent and ability to evolve their sound while staying true to their roots. Fans of the band should not miss out on this album, and those new to Dinosaur Jr. should give this album a listen to get a sense of what the band is capable of. While not perfect, Green Mind is a valuable addition to any rock music lover's collection.