Twenty years into their reunion Dinosaur Jr. still sound exactly like Dinosaur Jr., and this is far from a criticism. Their reunion era run of albums is proving as strong as their original incarnation, and the band has neither softened nor tried to update themselves for contemporary times. There Near sounds like the records they’ve always made in the same way, and it’s definitely one of their best.

J Mascis mumbles his way through words that aren’t particularly easy to make out, which is as wonderfully comforting as a familiar favourite jumper if Dinosaur Jr. already mean something to you. For fans, There Near will feel like coming home, with the same formula of big, blasted fuzz, rip-roaring solos, and catchy melodic choruses, executed with the ease of a trio who’ve been doing this for four decades. J’s guitar is an absolute joy as ever, regardless of whether or not you normally enjoy solos, so full of personality and unmistakably his. Of all their post-reunion records, There Near sits closest to Bug and You’re Living All Over Me through organic warmth and trashiness that brings a sense of the original spirit back, sounding big without being overproduced. Several Got Away opens the record with a blast of energy, Take Me With You has buckets of sunshine in the riffs, Gone Off has a bright, jangly energy and Read The Room features the best solo on the record, arriving at the three minute mark and gone again in just over ten seconds, a bite-sized turbocharge from someone who could solo for days if he chose to. Lou Barlow’s two vocal contributions are striking in their contrast to everything around them, blunt and furious political rock songs that simmer rather than erupting. For the uninitiated this might not be the best entry point, but for long-term Dinosaur Jr. fans they’ve definitely delivered the goods.