Classic Dino Jr. Returns
Dinosaur Jr. Announces Sixth Album 'There Near,' Reviving Early Sound with Vintage Amp
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Key Points
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J Mascis confirms the guitar tone on There Near is powered by a ’70s Mesa Boogie MK1 amp—the same model used for the band’s first album—designed to recapture that early sound; he notes the MK1 has a souped-up Fender-like character and cites the Stones’ 70s use of Mesa Boogies as part of the lineage.
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The lead single video for Several Got Away is built around a backyard-movie aesthetic with Henry Darger–inspired imagery (giant floating hands of fire); director Guy Kozak describes aiming for something tongue-in-cheek and notes he learned VFX on the weekend for the clip.
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Critics describe Several Got Away as a fuzzed-up alt-rock track with a blown-out power-pop energy, signaling a strong return-to-form for Dinosaur Jr.’s core trio on There Near.
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There Near will be released with a limited purple-and-white splash vinyl variant, exclusive to 500 copies, available for preorder.
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Band of Horses are set to join Dinosaur Jr. on the summer slate, with the band performing Where You Been in full on those dates as part of the tour package.
Dinosaur Jr. have announced their 13th studio album, There Near, out August 28 via Jagjaguwar. The band dropped the lead single "Several Got Away" on June 30, along with a music video, and confirmed a full North American tour running from summer into fall 2026, according to Consequence of Sound.
The album is the band's first new studio material in five years, following 2021's Sweep It Into Space. It features 11 tracks recorded by the core trio of J Mascis, Lou Barlow, and Murph at Bisquiteen Studio in Amherst, Massachusetts, reports ReadJunk.
J Mascis Chases the Sound of the First Album
The key creative choice on There Near was Mascis reaching for a vintage 1970s Mesa Boogie MK1 amplifier — the same model used on the band's 1985 debut. Mascis said the MK1 has a "souped-up Fender" character. As the Mesa Boogie line evolved into the MK2 and beyond, he felt the sound got "more metal," so he went hunting for an older unit, according to Brooklyn Vegan.
Mascis pointed to the Rolling Stones' use of Mesa Boogies in the 1970s as part of the amp's lineage. The band tracked the record in short, intense sessions over the course of a year. Local musician Ken Mauri also contributed piano and organ to the sessions, adding some layered texture beneath the guitar-forward sound, per Northern Transmissions.
"Several Got Away" Video Has Backyard Charm and DIY VFX
The lead single has been described by Stereogum as "blown-out power-pop" with "violent jangle-fuzz." Director Guy Kozak built the video around a low-budget backyard-movie feel. The clip draws on imagery inspired by outsider artist Henry Darger, featuring giant floating hands of fire.
Kozak said he aimed for something "tongue-in-cheek" and taught himself VFX over a single weekend to pull the visual effects off. The approach fits neatly into Dinosaur Jr.'s history of low-budget but high-concept videos, in the vein of classics like "Feel the Pain."
Band of Horses Join the Summer Leg, Where You Been Played in Full
Dinosaur Jr.'s 2026 tour has two distinct phases. The summer leg kicks off July 10 in Kingston, NY, and runs through August 1 in Omaha, NE. Band of Horses are co-headlining those dates. The band will perform their 1993 album Where You Been in full on that run, according to Pollstar News.
The fall headline leg begins October 9 in Las Vegas and wraps November 7 at Tipitina's in New Orleans. That portion of the tour spans 19 cities. Stef Chura joins as special guest for the fall dates, per Our Culture.
Limited Vinyl, Full Tracklist, and What to Expect on August 28
There Near arrives on August 28 in standard formats plus a purple-and-white splash vinyl variant limited to just 500 copies, available for preorder now. The 11-track record includes the lead single along with songs like "No Friends," "Blowin' Up," "Walk Me Back," and closer "No One's Ready," per Stereogum.
Revolver describes the album as featuring "soaring guitar work" and "thunderous rhythms." With five years between studio albums — the longest gap for the reunited lineup — fan anticipation is high. The band's reunion lineup has now been together 21 years, longer than their original 1984–1997 run.
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