It’s getting really depressing to note the frequency with which seminal albums from my youth are celebrating their 25th anniversary this year. But here we are, trapped in the existentialist malaise of a world where Dinosaur Jr.’s 1994 breakthrough Without A Sound is all grown-up. Of course, the project felt mature when it dropped, and it might be the first album by the band where the detached emotionalism in J. Mascis’ songwriting was first fully honed. The band hasn’t lost a step. And while on the surface, their pairing with Steve Gunn for this tour might seem mismatched, Mascis and Gunn are two of the most dynamic guitarists performing in America today. by Ryan J. Prado