Dinosaur Jr.’s 13th album—and first for five years—is another solid entry in one of indie rock’s most consistent discographies

The trio’s latest is no reinvention, but a reminder that J Mascis and co. have little reason to abandon their tried-and-true formula

Whatever the case is with lyrics, it all simply works as they fit into the Dinosaur Jr. sound like a very loud silk glove, putting There Near among some of the best albums they have recorded so far

So no major surprises, then, but another fantastic collection of songs that remind us of why they have been so highly revered over all these years

Fears are being conquered, paths are still being forged, and Dinosaur Jr. still rock as hard and as vitally as anyone in the business

Another solid, snarling entry in their 21st-century victory lap

It’s a scrappy, sincere entry in a victory lap that’s been going on for two decades now, and it’s the sound of a band that pioneered a formula and sees no reason to abandon it while it still works this well

There Near is a very solid entry in Dinosaur Jr.’s discography and a stormier guitar record than most anything else released this year

The trio’s first album in five years marks a gloriously messy return to form, dredging up the scuzz of the group’s early work and privileging melody over showiness

While it ticks all the boxes with undeniable proficiency, there are virtually zero surprises. Print edition only

There’s no radical from Dinosaur Jr’s slacker rock attack, but There Near still bottles enough electric magic between a trio who know how to hash it out in a basement and capture some gripping, lo-fi conjury

They never attempt to reinvent the wheel, but they spin the wheel they themselves invented in enough new directions to keep things interesting. Mainly, There Near finds the band keeping on doing the marvelous things they’ve been doing all along

There Near is definitely a strong suggestion that the creative musical well in this band is not dried up just yet, and that fans can hopefully look forward to more from their favourite band

Shows no sign that the band's demons - or their better angels - are thinking about clocking off, each of these songs a spectacular unspooling of tensions, a high velocity triangulation between J Mascis, Lou Barlow and drummer Murph. Print edition only

It might be the very best of that excellent 21st-century run, fighting it out with 2009's Farm for bragging rights at the top of the Dino tree