If there's one thing I hope to achieve through my (generally mediocre) music reviews, it's to bring people's attention to some recordings that they might not otherwise hear. And "Green Mind" is one such unfairly neglected album. Over the past three years or so rock radio has been swarmed by bands trying to mix early-90's alternative rock with pop sensibilities, but unfortunately most of these acts tend to come off as almost appallingly indistinguished (think Nickelback). J. Mascis (who basically was Dinosaur Jr.) was not only doing it about ten years before any of these bands, but doing it a lot better. In a time dominated, whether for better or for worse, by self-conscious angst, Dinosour Jr. instead got by on an abundance of lazy charm.

First of all, is there any doubt that J. has one of the most memorable rock voices ever? His aching, warbling croak simultaneously brings to mind Paul Westerberg, Eddie Vedder, and even a little Kurt Cobain, but J. never sacrifices his individuality. He also accompanies himself brilliantly on the guitar, getting quite a bit of mileage out of just a few chords. Throughout the album, J. expertly mixes head-banging riffs, addictive pop hooks, and the occasional dose of gentle acoustics (see "Flying Cloud" for an example of the latter). Where J. really lets loose, though, is with his searing solos, which will bounce around in your head for days after you hear them. Throw in some truly monstrous drumbeats, and you've got something that goes well beyond your typical indie-rock album.

"Green Mind" bursts right out of the gate with the up-tempo pop-rock of "Wagon," which is easily one of the catchiest songs ever to open an album. "Wagon" is followed up brilliantly by the massive hooks of "Puke + Cry," the hard-driving rhythms of "Blowing It," and the dense, metallic "I Live For That Look." Later on, J. scores again with the moody alt-rock of "Water" and the slow-paced curveball "Thumb," which even brings a mellotron into the mix for some added atmosphere. The album closes with yet another brilliant piece of noise in the form of the title track, propelled by a classic riff and some maniacal drumming.

For sheer enjoyment, it's pretty tough to top this album. It's too bad Dinosaur Jr. never really managed to break out into the big time, but that doesn't mean they're not worth checking out. For fans of bands like the Pixies, the Replacements, and Husker Du, "Green Mind" is absolutlely essential.

This is Dinosaur's last great CD, and perhaps even their last good CD.

Although the departure of Barlow is clear from the style of the songs, J Mascis clearly had enough material to make for an excellent album all the way through. "The Wagon" is a throwback to old Dinosaur Jr, while stripped down songs like "Thumb", "Water", and "Green Mind" offer a preview of the future. The solos are still vintage Mascis, which is to say mind-blowing.

Some folks will swear off Dinosaur Jr after Barlow's departure, and I think that's understandable. They were a completely different band sans Barlow. However, this CD stands out on its own. It's everything else after this (not counting "Whatever's Cool With Me") that is subpar for Dinosaur Jr. I continued to buy all the CDs, but clearly they weren't the same band and the departure of Lou had hit hard.

Maybe now that Sebadoh has hit the wall, Barlow and Mascis can put aside their animosity and reunite for one final and amazing hoorah.

This is a great album. It is a great representation of what Dinosaur was all about. If you're just getting in to them this is a great album to start with.

This is the one Dinosaur Jr. release I can't imagine anyone not liking. It's the beginning of the "new" phase of DJ, yet it still basically sounds like old DJ. "The Wagon" and "Puke + Cry" are both rockin' songs and a good start to the album, and I also really like "Flying Cloud". However it's the last half of the disc that really shines for me. "Water" is a catchy mid-tempo track, "Muck" is one of their best rock-outs ever, and "Thumb" is magical and mellow. Fans of either "Bug" or "Where You Been" should totally dig "Green Mind". If nothing else, the girl on the cover is smokin'.

How does he do it?

Green Mind, the first all-new Dinosaur Jr album to appear after the infamous spilt with Lou Barlow, was released during the Spring of 1991. The timing should have been fortuitous, poised right at the cusp of the grunge onlaught. But despite J Masics' more poised songwriting, the album, laced with rough production values and rambling song structures that still seemed to bear the stamp of the Barlow collaboration, was still too remote for audiences, so instead of becoming the standard-bearer for the alternative movement, Green Mind was subsumed by the Nirvana/PearlJam tidal wave. Shame, too: this was probably the most manically inspired album of Mascis' career.

The Wagon, which in later years seemed to become an emblem for the band itself (listen to "Quicksand" from Whatever's Cool With Me), is so rollicking and spontaneous that it feels as if Mascis wrote in his head simultaneously with recording it. Blowing It, typical of J's ability to switch phrasing and rhythm without ever breaking the tempo of the song, is the musical equivalent of rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time. Flying Cloud, with its open suspensions and remote vocals, probably recalls Neil Young more clearly than any other song Mascis wrote. All in all, this is a must-have for any grungeophile.