Without a Sound
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.
| Without a Sound | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 23, 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1994 | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock | |||
| Length | 45:42 | |||
| Label | Blanco y Negro/Sire | |||
| Producer | J Mascis | |||
| Dinosaur Jr. chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Without a Sound | ||||
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"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 professional skateboarder Neil Blender, an early fan and friend of the band.[1] The album title comes from a lyric in the song "Even You".
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   |
| Chicago Tribune |  |
| Entertainment Weekly | B+[4] |
| Los Angeles Times | |
| The Philadelphia Inquirer | |
| PopMatters | 8/10[7] |
| Rolling Stone | |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 6/10[10] |
| Uncut | 7/10[11] |
In July 2014, Guitar World put Without a Sound in their "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994" list.[12]
The closing song "Over Your Shoulder" was frequently used on the Japanese boxing reality show Gachinko Fight Club. In February 2019, 25 years after the album's release, "Over Your Shoulder" unexpectedly charted at #18 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 based on digital streaming. The phenomenon was credited to YouTube postings of clips from Gachinko Fight Club registered as containing the song. For a period, clips from the series — which was a segment of a Japanese variety show — had frequently been favored by YouTube's algorithmic suggestions in Japan for unknown reasons.[13][14]
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 | |
2019 remaster bonus tracks
In 2019, the album was reissued as an expanded 2-CD deluxe edition that contained bonus tracks, including a recording of a full live performance at Brixton Academy on October 8, 1994.[15] A double vinyl version was also released, albeit with a smaller selection of bonus tracks.[16]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Get Out of This (No Words Just Solo)" ("Feel the Pain" single b-side) | |
| 13. | "Blah" (from Melrose Place soundtrack) | |
| 14. | "I Don't Think So (Instrumental)" (previously unreleased) | |
| 15. | "Outta Hand (Instrumental)" (previously unreleased) | |
| 16. | "Get Out of This (Instrumental)" (previously unreleased) | |
| 17. | "On The Brink (Instrumental)" (previously unreleased) | |
| 18. | "Seemed Like The Thing To Do (Alternate Mix)" (previously unreleased) |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Freakscene" (previously unreleased) | |
| 2. | "Out There" (previously unreleased) | |
| 3. | "Get Me" ("I Don't Think So" single b-side) | |
| 4. | "Not You Again" (previously unreleased) | |
| 5. | "Grab It" ("Feel the Pain (Live)" Japanese-only EP b-side) | |
| 6. | "Feel The Pain" ("Feel the Pain (Live)" Japanese-only EP b-side) | |
| 7. | "Little Fury Things" (previously unreleased) | |
| 8. | "What Else Is New" ("I Don't Think So" CD single b-side) | |
| 9. | "Quest" (previously unreleased) | |
| 10. | "Thumb" (previously unreleased) | |
| 11. | "Sludgefeast" ("I Don't Think So" CD single b-side) |
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.
- Sendra, Tim. "Without a Sound – Dinosaur Jr". AllMusic. Retrieved October 3, 2019.
- Kot, Greg (September 8, 1994). "Rearrangements". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- Frost, Deborah (September 16, 1994). "Without a Sound". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
- Hochman, Steve (August 28, 1994). "Dinosaur Jr., 'Without a Sound' (Sire/Reprise)". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
- Wood, Sam (September 11, 1994). "Dinosaur Jr.: Without a Sound (Sire/Reprise)". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Soulsby, Nick (September 26, 2019). "Dinosaur Jr.'s 'Without a Sound Deserves' – and Gets – a Fresh Listen with Cherry Red's Reissue". PopMatters. Retrieved June 1, 2020.
- Diehl, Matt (October 6, 1994). "Without a Sound". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
- Evans, Paul (2004). "Dinosaur Jr.". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 238. ISBN 9780743201698.
- Sheffield, Rob (1995). "Dinosaur Jr.". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. p. 113. ISBN 9780679755746.
- Deusner, Stephen (November 2019). "Dinosaur Jr.: Green Mind / Where You Been / Without a Sound / Hand It Over". Uncut. No. 270. p. 39.
- "Superunknown: 50 Iconic Albums That Defined 1994". GuitarWorld.com. July 14, 2014. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
- Hongo, Hudson. "How TV Pirates Accidentally Pushed a 25-Year-Old Indie Song to the Top of the Charts in Japan". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2019-02-17.
- "A 25-Year-Old Dinosaur Jr. Song Is a Hit in Japan. Nobody Knows Why". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2019-02-17.
- "Dinosaur Jr: Without A Sound, 2CD Expanded Edition". Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- "Dinosaur Jr: Without a Sound, Deluxe Expanded Edition, Double Gatefold Yellow Vinyl LP". Cherry Red Records. Cherry Red Records. Retrieved 6 April 2020.