Dinosaur is the debut studio album by Dinosaur Jr. It was released in July 16, 1985 on Homestead Records. The album exhibits a folkier side of the band than on future releases, but some of the tracks on the album showed off a much heavier, more hardcore punk-based side to the band in songs such as Does it Float, Mountain Man and Bulbs of Passion.
The album was originally released when the band was still known simply as Dinosaur, before a lawsuit forced the name change to Dinosaur Jr. Therefore, it was originally a self-titled album, but subsequent issues kept the Dinosaur title. Bulbs of Passion was not featured on the original vinyl LP; it was a b-side to the Repulsion single. Subsequent reissues on cassette and compact disc featured it as the last song. The 2005 reissue on Merge Records placed Bulbs of Passion as the first track at J Mascis‘ request.
“Yeah, I asked for that,” J recalls, “because (that song) gave our new direction – it felt like we were our own sound.”
Also featured was a 1987 live performance of Does It Float as a bonus track to close out the album.
Tracklist:
- Forget the Swan
- Cats in a Bowl
- The Leper
- Does It Float
- Pointless
- Repulsion
- Gargoyle
- Severed Lips
- Mountain Man
- Quest
- Bulbs of Passion
Dinosaur Jr.
J Mascis: vocals, guitar, tom tom, cymbal, big muff
Lou Barlow: bass, vocals, synthesizer (credited as casio)
Murph: drums, vocals, synthesizer (credited as casio)
Additional Personnel
Chris Dixon and Glen: engineering
Jason Talerman: photography
Maura Jasper: cover art
Lou Barlow: back cover art
