Arriving four years after 2012's
I Bet on Sky
-- the longest stretch of time between albums since
Dinosaur Jr.
became an active band again in 2007 --
Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not
doesn't offer any surface surprises, at least not along the lines of the roaring reunion of 2007's
Beyond
, or the keyboard colorings of
. That's not to say
doesn't surprise, because it does -- namely, it shocks by sounding as vital as
ever has. Deciding to not to build upon the expansive textures of
, the trio nevertheless sounds vividly oversaturated throughout
. Certainly,
J Mascis
generates these brilliant colors through his guitar, with his riffs buzzing against each other and providing dense contrast to his piercing, lyrical solos, but the vigor of
Lou Barlow
and
Murph
is equally bracing. Beneath the fuzz, there are dexterous rhythms -- often, there's considerable air to the roar, making the music almost groove -- which gives
a visceral thrill, and if that's all it delivers it'd be enough, but the tunes are among the strongest sets of songs
Mascis
Barlow
have ever written. As always,
gets two numbers, but the heavy jangle of "Love Isâ?¦" and the stuttering, bone-tired closer "Left/Right" complement
, who alternates between hooky-heavy pop, weary urban country, and creeping sludge. While none of these may be new, the execution of it all, from composition to performance, means that
feels fresh, which is quite an achievement for a band approaching the tenth anniversary of its reunion. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine