Everyone who lived through the ‘90s probably has an opinion as to why Dinosaur Jr.never got as big as Nirvana or Pearl Jam—or even as big as The Meat Puppets—even though the band was just as talented. They lacked a dynamic, screaming front man; they didn’t have the whimsy or self-deprecation required to make it in the ‘90s; their songs were just too damn long, lacking structure or discipline; etc. And all of those opinions are valid.

But nevertheless, it’s a damn shame.

“Farm” is the band’s second album since their reunion on “Beyond,” and as good as that one was, this one is better. And it’s a double-LP. It’s got everything you’d expect: soaring melodies, grunge and distortion, sizzling extended solos, plaintive vocals, and not a single radio-ready song in the bunch. Dino have never been interested in conventional rock, and that’s a good thing. Hendrix was unconventional, too, playing long, entrancing solos. Is J Mascis as good as Hendrix? Well, yes and no. He’s not as technically proficient or as musically transcendent, but there are few guitarists today who can take control of a song even while the vocal track is playing, so that the instrument becomes, in effect, the lead vocalist and the lead vocal becomes the rhythm guitar track. That’s what Mascis has always been able to do, in the tradition of other great rock guitarists like Eddie Van Halen and Dave Navarro.

Overall, “Farm” is smoother than “Bug” or “Beyond,” and will probably get dinged for being better produced, but wake up: This is the age of the iPod, and dirty music through little speakers just sounds, well, dirty. The band has also aged, and with age comes a certain appreciation of quality and clarity. The music has aged similarly, along with the band’s skills as musicians. Lou Barlow and Murph continue to bring out the best in each other, and this is a band that puts the word “power” in “power trio.” I said it before and I’ll say it again: I think they sound better than ever.

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