331/3 (#82):Dinosaur Jr.
You're Living All Over Me
by: Nick Attfield
If you haven't read any of the books from the epic 331/3 series of books, then you might not know what to expect. They hand an album over to a writer - who is then allowed to write a book on that specific album in any way he chooses, letting his/her creativity take over in the telling of very real stories.
When it comes to Dinosaur Jr.'s You're Living All Over Me, Nick Attfield writes a compelling disertation on the relevance of the album, if only to the band. You're Living All Over Me was not their flagship album, or best selling album, or even their most critically acclaimed album. But it was album for a young band that defined their sound. That hinted at genius of their forthcoming opus, Bug. And in many ways set wheels in motion for bassist Lou Barlow's poast-Dinosaur-Jr. career with bands like Sebadoh and Blues Implosion.
Written in six non-linear essays, Attfield presumes that the music on You're Living All Over Me strays from the band's roots in hard core heavy metal - on account of now being in their late teens, they finally had sex and exorcised all of their sexual frustration. He recounts their run-ins, tours, and inevitable influence on their own mentors, Sonic Youth. However, one of the more incendiary sections of the book, Attfield implies that Barlow's acrimonious split with the band two years later might've had to do with his own bi-sexuality and guitarist/singer J. Mascis' tendency to make homophobic cracks.
The book is fascinating. They're a band where much has been written, but little has ever been said. And after Attfield interviews all three members of the band you end up with a compelling look at the early career of what would become one of Alternative Rock's most influential bands.
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