Formed in 1984, Dinosaur Jr carved a singular path through the latter half of the 1980s and early 1990s, issuing a number of highly influential albums in the process before finding a home with Sire Records. Without A Sound, their sixth record, emerged in the summer of 1994, in the wake of personal bereavement and the departure of longtime drummer and founder member Murph.
Performed primarily by J Mascis, Without A Sound continued the bands growth in popularity and commercial achievement, reaching #44 in the US (their highest ever album placing there) and featuring the hit singles Feel The Pain and I Dont Think So.
Released to positive reviews, Without A Sound also took Dinosaur Jr around the world, including dates in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, and into the mainstream as the group contributed Blah to the hit US TV show Melrose Place.
Collected together with related B-sides, unreleased mixes and a complete live recording made in London in 1994, and accompanied by in-depth sleevenotes from Mojos Keith Cameron (based on recent and exclusive interviews with J Mascis), this edition provides a glimpse of a band at the height of their international appeal and accessibility.
Review
On Without a Sound, J is struggling with many things -- personal sadness, insecurity regarding the band's future, a shifting musical climate -- but the one thing that remains rock solid is his guitar playing and ability to write songs that break a heart as easily as they break guitar strings. It may not be the best Dinosaur album or the most exciting, either, but there's enough growth, tenderness, and good old guitar mangling here to make it well worth exploring. - All Music 4/5