Without a Sound
| Without a Sound | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by Dinosaur Jr. | ||||
| Released | August 23, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 45:42 | |||
| Label | Blanco y Negro/Sire | |||
| Producer | J Mascis | |||
| Dinosaur Jr. chronology | ||||
| ||||
Without a Sound is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released on August 23, 1994. It is the first Dinosaur Jr. album not to feature Murph on drums, who is replaced by vocalist and guitarist J Mascis. It is also their most commercially successful album, peaking at number 44 on the Billboard Top 200. "Feel the Pain" and "I Don't Think So" were released as singles, with "Feel the Pain" reaching number 4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming one of their biggest hits. Mascis later admitted that his father's death affected his writing and performance on this album, and he took three years to deliver the next Dinosaur Jr. LP, 1997's Hand It Over.
"Feel the Pain" is a playable track in the video games Guitar Hero World Tour and Rock Band 2.
Production and background
J Mascis said he had a hard time writing the album because his dad had died around the time they were making the album. The cover artwork is a painting by former pro skateboarder Neil Blender, an early fan and friend of the band.[1]
Reception
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [2] |
| Chicago Tribune | [3] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[4] |
| Los Angeles Times | [5] |
| Rolling Stone | [6] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide |  [7] |
In July 2014, Guitar World put Without a Sound in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.[8]
Track listing
All songs by J Mascis.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Feel the Pain" | 4:18 |
| 2. | "I Don't Think So" | 3:35 |
| 3. | "Yeah Right" | 2:45 |
| 4. | "Outta Hand" | 4:59 |
| 5. | "Grab It" | 3:31 |
| 6. | "Even You" | 3:23 |
| 7. | "Mind Glow" | 4:02 |
| 8. | "Get Out of This" | 5:21 |
| 9. | "On the Brink" | 3:11 |
| 10. | "Seemed Like the Thing to Do" | 5:45 |
| 11. | "Over Your Shoulder" | 4:52 |
| Total length: | 45:42 | |
Personnel
- J Mascis - Drums, Guitar, Producer, Keyboards, Vocals
- Thalia Zedek - Vocals
- Mike Johnson - Bass, Vocals
- John Agnello - Engineer, Mixing
- Danny Kadar - Assistant Engineer
- Mark Miller - Assistant Engineer
- Brian Sperber - Assistant Engineer
- John McLaughlin - Assistant Engineer
- Bryce Goggin - Assistant Engineer
- Bill Emmons - Assistant Engineer
- Joe Pirrera - Assistant Engineer
- Bob Ludwig - Mastering
- Woody Jackson - Paintings
- Roger Mayer - Sound Effects
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 | The Billboard 200 | 44 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | "Feel the Pain" | Modern Rock Tracks | 4 |
References
- ↑ Tweet July 1st, 2005 by Crossfire (2005-07-01). "Dinosaur Jr | Interviews | Caught in the Crossfire - Skateboarding in the UK since 2001". Caught in the Crossfire. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
- ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Without Sound – Dinosaur Jr.". AllMusic. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
- ↑ Kot, Greg (September 8, 1994). "Rearrangements". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ↑ Frost, Deborah (September 16, 1994). "Without a Sound". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- ↑ Hochman, Steve (August 28, 1994). "Dinosaur Jr.: 'Without a Sound' (Sire/Reprise)". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ Diehl, Matt (October 6, 1994). "Without a Sound". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert (2000). Dinosaur Jr. Macmillan Publishers. p. 82.
- ↑ "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". GuitarWorld.com. July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.