Famed alt-rock heroes Dinosaur Jr. have announced a brand new album called Sweep It Into Space, which will be released on April 23 of this year. The announcement also came with the album’s lead single “I Ran Away” and a corresponding visualizer. Sweep It Into Space, which will appear on the Jagjaguwar record label, is currently available for pre-order and marks the band’s first new music since 2016’s Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not.

“I Ran Away” opens with a steady pulse of drums from Murph before melodic guitar comes crashing in as Dinosaur Jr. has been known to do for years. The song continues on a cheery, energetic journey as iconic frontman J Mascis’ catchy vocals soar over the track’s melody. The visualizer matches the track well, with blurred images of bright and colorful artwork meandering throughout, bringing the full release together for a positive and joyous experience.

Discussing the album, J Mascis said his writing was largely inspired by listening to classic ’80s rock group Thin Lizzy. “I was listening to a lot of  Thin Lizzy, so I was trying to get some of that dueling twin lead sound,” Mascis explains. “But the recording session was pretty well finished by the time things really hit the fan. When the lockdown happened in March, that meant I was on my own. But it was cool.”

According to a press release, the new album was recorded at Amherst’s Biquiteen studio beginning in the late fall of 2019 after the trio had embarked on a tour of the west coast and south-east. Additionally, before the coronavirus pandemic hit the states, the band recorded with iconic musician and War on Drugs frontman Kurt Vile. The multi-talented artist wound up co-producing the album and is also featured playing the lead 12-string guitar on “I Ran Away.” The band’s famed bassist Lou Barlow also wrote and sings on two of the album’s dozen tracks, as has become standard for the trio.

Sweep It Into Space Track list:
1. “I Ain’t”
2. “I Met The Stones”
3. “To Be Waiting”
4. “I Ran Away”
5. “Garden”
6. “Hide Another Round”
7. “And Me”
8. “I Expect It Always”
9. “Take It Back”
10. “N Say”
11. “Walking To You”
12. “You Wonder”

Photo credit: Raymond Flotat