Dinosaur Jr.

Forget the Foo Fighters. The true champ when it comes to blending melody and mayhem is a tumultuous trio known as Dinosaur Jr. The prototypical hard-core heroes were making heads bop and torsos flail back when Dave Grohl was still taking his cues from Kurt Cobain. The group's bassist Lou Barlow and guitarist J Mascis had a nasty parting of ways in 1989, leaving Mascis to carry their banner before he eventually split for a solo career. So it's significant that Mascis, Barlow and drummer Murph have managed to cut through their crap and regroup for their latest album, Beyond, which is as riveting and down-to-earth as their early recordings. They're also smart enough to leave their formula for success unchanged. Much of the music is packed with a searing assault of guitar work that's both aggressive and compelling. Seems now that Dinosaur Jr. is no longer extinct, it is capable of making a mighty roar.