Dinosaur Jr's top discs

Highlights of the Dinosaur Jr discography

Reputedly costing just US$500 to record, the band's debut is a ferocious mix of heavy metal and punk. While it lacks the direction or consistency of later albums, it does establish J. Mascis' slurred, stoner vocal style as de rigueur in American rock.

The album that consolidated Dinosaur Jr's sludge-rock dynamism also saw Mascis enter his despotic phase within the band. Bassist Lou Barlow vented his frustration and tension by hammering at his instrument, giving the album a ferocity that became an essential part of the band's make-up.