Lou Barlow - Goodnight Unknown (CD)

On November 16th, Domino will release Lou Barlows new album, Goodnight Unknown. In the four years since his career-redefining, mostly acoustic record Emoh, Lou Barlow has reunited with Dinosaur Jr. and reissued three of Sebadohs classic albums. But as the brilliant new Goodnight Unknown illustrates, hes hardly living in the past. Borrowing the live-band energy of Dinosaur Jr. and the stylistic reach of Sebadoh, Barlow has built on Emohs full production and written a set of immediate, melodic pop songs that Lou describes as, a cross between my later work with Folk Implosion and my earlier work with Sebadohto my ... [read more]ears, anyway.

From the surging opening track Sharing to the surprisingly soulful performances on The Right, Goodnight Unknown benefits from Barlows tunefulness and his decision to record the record relatively quickly, with old friends and new. The Melvins Dale Crover adds inspired drum work throughout, and Goodnight Unknowns urgent sound owes just as much to frequent Barlow collaborator Imaad Wasif (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, alaska!). The records considerable power also stems from the new talents on board, including producer Andrew Murdock and Lisa Germano.