Pixies vs. Dinosaur Jr.

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These were the two big bands my last year of high school and first of college (circa Doolittle and Bug). At that point the smart money was on Dino Jr., but today the Pixies are thought to be more influential and, I suppose, better overall. I still pick Dinosaur for their: 1) guitar sound, arguably the best (and definitely the most influential) of this era; 2) vocal style, which while less quirky than Black Francis's did mange to riff on Neil Young to wonderful effect; 3) overall songwriting strategy, since they're really the first to marry bubblegum jingles and lo-fi production. (Of course Pavement would run with this idea a couple of years later. More: Dino are the missing link between Sonic Youth and Pavement.)

Not sure why history hasn't treated Dinosaur Jr. more gently. Could be the later material or J Mascis's solo career, I suppose: haven't heard these records. Are they remembered primarily for the guitar solos? These are the least interesting aspect of their output, I think.

― Derek Krissoff (Derek), Thursday, 5 August 2004 15:27 (twenty-one years ago)

dinosaur natch.

― ddb (ddb), Thursday, 5 August 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

'tommorow remember yesterday'

― kephm, Thursday, 5 August 2004 15:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I can listen to most Pixies albums front to back and never wish I'd skipped a track. I can't think of a single Dino Jr. album I'd do that with.

― Johnny Fever (johnny fever), Thursday, 5 August 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Re: Mascis' later work, More Light, the first record under the J. Mascis and The Fog moniker, is exceptional, and washes away all the sins of dullness from the last Dino Jr. records. Unfortunately, Free So Free, the second Fog record, went back to being sort of sarah plain and tall.

― Blasts of Static, Thursday, 5 August 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Re: Getting through a whole album, "You're Living All Over Me" is consistent, well except for "Poledo," but that's at the end. Still, a fair point. DJ is spottier.

― Derek Krissoff (Derek), Thursday, 5 August 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

pixies. dinosaur's cool though.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 5 August 2004 15:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Guitar sound, nothing. Here's your question:

Amazingly well controlled, simple, sustainy Les Paul leads vs. Amazingly adept though sometimes noodley Fender Jazzmaster solos

Personally I like the Pixies better because I'm on the former side of that "vs," but I got nothing really against the Dino Jr. side of it either. (Also, I'd rather hear Black Francis than J. Mascis singing any day of the week.)

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:13 (twenty-one years ago)

The Pixies, but it is definitely unfair how nobody talks about DiJr. anymore--they're still one of the greats.

― The Good Dr. Bill (Andrew Unterberger), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Re: Amazingly well controlled, simple, sustainy Les Paul leads vs. Amazingly adept though sometimes noodley Fender Jazzmaster solos.

See I think a fixation on leads and solos is distracting, because it obscures the importance of the rhythm guitar sound. That's where Dinosaur's strength is. They just achieve this tremendous rock sound on "Living All Over Me."

― Derek Krissoff (Derek), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't stand Dinosaur Jr. esp. the way Mascis "sings".

― Bimble (bimble), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Dinosaur Jr all the way, never cared for the Pixies in any way.

― Siegbran (eofor), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:34 (twenty-one years ago)

J Mascis is a great singer!!!

Pixies only have a few good songs, so Dinosaur all the way.

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:38 (twenty-one years ago)

I can't decide between the two. Dinosaur, despite being rooted in 70s rawk, was definitely more obsessed with finding the big noise, whereas the Pixies were more literate, surreal and absurd. Also, I would not call Dinosaur production "lo-fi" at all. Both wrote equally catchily.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:43 (twenty-one years ago)

cambridge, ma vs. amherst, ma

― kephm, Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Not easy.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

deep wound vs sebadoh

― kephm, Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Love em both but that Cure cover may tip the scales in Din Jr's favour.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

YLAOM's guitar sound destroys anything in its path

― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 5 August 2004 16:51 (twenty-one years ago)

I pick the Pixies (well, first 2 and a half albums) simply cos they had far better Songs.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 August 2004 17:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I have never, ever wanted to beat The Pixies with a large stick; can't say the same about Dinosaur Jr.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 5 August 2004 17:36 (twenty-one years ago)

I listen to Dinosaur Jr. way more than the Pixies at this point. BUG & YOU'RE LIVING ALL OVER ME & GREEN MIND = CLASSIXXX. the others are spotty but have some good tunes nonetheless.

― Ian c=====8 (orion), Thursday, 5 August 2004 17:37 (twenty-one years ago)

End of Dinosaur Jr. more embarrassing than end of Pixies but Pixies are working to resolve this. BAM NOT.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Thursday, 5 August 2004 18:28 (twenty-one years ago)

Pixies in a landslide, Dino Jr I don't need to ever hear again.

― Gear! (Gear!), Thursday, 5 August 2004 18:33 (twenty-one years ago)

Second side of Dinosaur through the first side of Where You've Been is non-stop great rock music. The only way the Pixies achieved a side of good music is on a single.

― Vic Funk, Thursday, 5 August 2004 18:43 (twenty-one years ago)

dude, check yr grammar: Where You Been! ;-)

― willem (willem), Thursday, 5 August 2004 20:23 (twenty-one years ago)

This one is subjective too... I happen to like the slightly overdriven Telecaster thru a Marshall rhythm set-up, so I like Pixies rhythm guitar sound better too. ;)

You're right though. I'd rather hear Dino Jr's rhythm sound than their lead sound. Esp on Living All Over Me and Green Mind.

― martin m. (mushrush), Thursday, 5 August 2004 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Seriously though. Dinosaur Jr - "Freak Scene" = No Fucking Songs Whatsoever.

― noodle vague (noodle vague), Thursday, 5 August 2004 21:23 (twenty-one years ago)

well, murph was a truly bombastic drummer even though j wrote all of his parts.

― cutty (mcutt), Thursday, 5 August 2004 21:24 (twenty-one years ago)

i totally luv lou's bass sound. it's never talked about, but it was the glue to the band. i'd take it over kim's, although it's a very hard choice.

and dino jr. in general, if only for the chorus to "raisans" alone. or "little fury things", or "in a jar", or the exhilaration sprint of "budge"...

― drew, Thursday, 5 August 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

both!

― piers (piers), Thursday, 5 August 2004 23:41 (twenty-one years ago)

i never ever bought anything by di.jr, though i intended to at one point. i'm guessing it's not too late. what wud be the best way to lose my mascis virginity?

obv i can't do this comparison seeing as i haven't heard one of the bands, but the pixies are a group i love but probably won't feel the need to play again.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Friday, 6 August 2004 00:12 (twenty-one years ago)

'Ear-Bleeding Country: The Best of Dinosaur Jr' is pretty good.

Here's my own portable CD80:

Repulsion
Little Fury Things
Kracked
The Lung
In a Jar
Freak Scene
No Bones
They Always Come
Yeah We Know
Pond Song
Just Like Heaven
The Wagon
Thumb
Out There
Start Choppin'
Get Me
Feel the Pain
I Don't Think
Never Bought It

(78:46 - weighted towards 2nd and 3rd LPs)

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 6 August 2004 00:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Pixies

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Friday, 6 August 2004 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Kilian, Spencer's compilation looks like an excellent point of entry, ask him to burn you a copy... Otherwise, I think You're Living All Over Me is the one to get.

― willem (willem), Friday, 6 August 2004 11:30 (twenty-one years ago)

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