Dinosaur Jr. Announce New Album There Near and Fall Tour Dates
- will release their sixth studio album since reuniting in 2005, titled There Near, on August 28 via Jagjaguwar.
- The album was recorded over the course of a year at Bisquiteen Studio in Amherst, Massachusetts.
- J Mascis focused on recovering the high-volume sonic profile of the band's early era.
Dinosaur Jr. will release their sixth studio album since reuniting in 2005, titled There Near, on August 28 via Jagjaguwar. The release marks the trio’s first album in five years and is accompanied by the lead single Several Got Away and a headlining fall tour starting October 9 in Las Vegas, according to SPIN.
The album was recorded over the course of a year at Bisquiteen Studio in Amherst, Massachusetts. The core lineup of J Mascis, bassist and vocalist Lou Barlow, and drummer Murph recorded the project, with local pianist and organist Ken Mauri contributing to several tracks, SPIN reports.
How did Dinosaur Jr. approach the sound of There Near?
J Mascis focused on recovering the high-volume sonic profile of the band’s early era. To achieve this, Mascis purchased a 1970s Mesa Boogie MK 1 amplifier, the same model used during the recording of the group’s first album, SPIN reports.
Mascis stated that the amplifier provided a specific sound he had not gotten for a while and was a primary goal for the new record. He noted that he essentially gave himself the same advice often attributed to producer Rick Rubin regarding the importance of revisiting a band’s formative work.
Regarding the lyrical content of the album, Mascis told SPIN that he is not always certain what a song is about during the writing process. He explained that he uses words that work and draws influence from esoteric mumbo jumbo he reads, while attempting not to overthink the process.
What is the concept behind the Several Got Away music video?
The music video for Several Got Away was directed by Guy Kozak. Kozak drew inspiration from the apocalyptic imagery of outsider artist Henry Darger to create a lo-fi depiction of the Rapture featuring giant flaming hands, according to SPIN.
Kozak described the project as a tongue-in-cheek effort with a backyard movie feel intended to fit within the established canon of Dinosaur Jr. music videos. He noted that the band members were cooperative while he filmed them in a large field.
When and where is Dinosaur Jr. touring?
The band will perform 17 co-headlining dates with Band of Horses starting July 10 in Kingston, New York, before beginning their own headlining run in October. The fall tour begins October 9 at the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas, SPIN reports.
- October 9 – Las Vegas, NV @ Brooklyn Bowl
- October 10 – Tempe, AZ @ Marquee Theatre
- October 11 – Solana Beach, CA @ Belly Up
- October 15 – Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues
- October 16 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether
- October 18 – San Francisco, CA @ The Castro Theatre
- October 20 – Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
- October 22 – Portland, OR @ Revolution Hall
- October 23 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune
- October 24 – Seattle, WA @ Neptune
- October 26 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Complex
- October 29 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
- October 30 – Fort Collins, CO @ Washington’s
- November 2 – Dallas, TX @ Granada Theater
- November 4 – Houston, TX @ House of Blues
- November 5 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s
- November 6 – San Antonio, TX @ Paper Tiger
- November 7 – New Orleans, LA @ Tipitina’s
Mascis also expressed a dislike for the lyric-display feature on Spotify, questioning the appeal of having all lyrics visible to the listener, according to SPIN.