80s Jams #15: Dinosaur Jr "Freak Scene" (1988)

The opening track to Dinosaur Jr.'s third album, Bug, remains one of the brightest moments of the post-punk era. Predating Nirvana's breakthrough hit, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," by three years, "Freak Scene" hinted at the latent potential of the then-burgeoning indie rock scene. Singer J. Mascis relates the state of a messy relationship in a humorously frank, laid-back style. -- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=33:avfexqqrldfe

Music journalist Everett True writes that "Freak Scene" "invented the slacker generation. J. plays the guitar like he skis: effortlessly and fully in control. The song slows down, catches on fire, whispers sweet harmony and then starts blowing a tornado. Jess Harvell of Pitchfork Media believes "'Freak Scene' is probably indie rock's greatest guitar performance and the band's greatest pop song, somehow finding room for Psychedelic Furs jangle, Edge-style ascending harmonies, Eddie Van Halen in the drunk tank, pickled country, and a cherry on top in three and a half minutes without feeling at all cluttered." -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freak_Scene