Start Choppin

Last updated

"Start Choppin"
StartChoppin.jpeg
Single by Dinosaur Jr.
from the album Where You Been
Released1993
Recorded1992
Genre
Length5:39
Label Blanco Y Negro [3]
Songwriter(s) J Mascis [3]
Dinosaur Jr. singles chronology
"Get Me"
(1992)		"Start Choppin"
(1993)		"Out There"
(1993)

"Start Choppin" is a song by Dinosaur Jr. written by J Mascis and taken from their fifth album Where You Been . Created after Mascis came up with the title phrase, the song was accompanied by a music video that aired on alternative rock music programs.

Contents

"Start Choppin" was released as a single through Blanco Y Negro in Europe and as a promo by Warner Brothers in the US. [4] [5] It was backed by the song "Turnip Farm", co-written by Kurt Fedora. It has since been praised by critics as a highlight of Where You Been.

Background

Written by Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis, "Start Choppin" was recorded for the band's 1993 album Where You Been. Mascis recalled the song's creation in an interview, saying:

I remember the title came about because we cut the tape to put some different versions together. I think I just said, "Start chopping," or something. All the stops and starts is just how the song was written. I think the edits were just, like, maybe the verse sounded better on one take, so we could end the whole thing. It wasn't very big edits on tape; it was little things. It was just like one verse or another. [6]

A music video for the song was recorded, gaining popularity on MTV alternative rock programs such as 120 Minutes and Alternative Nation . [7]

Release and reception

Released as the debut single from Where You Been, "Start Choppin" reached number 20 on the UK Singles Chart [8] and number 3 on the US Modern Rock Tracks. [9] The song was described by AllMusic as having a "quick, catchy lead riff," and being "as close to a radio hit as the band ever had." [10] CMJ magazine referred J Mascis' as a "guitar god" through his work with this song. [11] Spin described the song as having a "sparkly stutter-strum intro, grindy-swirly solo freak-out" and the lyrical content as "another J Mascis paean to self-denial as a source of pride." [12] Nick Soulsby of PopMatters called the song "a catchy confection of bubblegum pop, all sky-scraping solos and upbeat strummed riffs" and praised the track as a "vocally ... a Mascis masterclass." [2]

Accolades and legacy

The song was ranked the 45th best of the year by Select. [13] Pitchfork included the album in "The Pitchfork 500" in 2008. [14] Two years later, they would go on to rank it 93rd on their list of "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s", writing that the song was where Mascis "finally, comfortably takes on the mantle" of "guitar gods" and describing the song itself as "assured, [...] direct, [...] breezy and effortless [...]-- a perfect balance of the scene the band had come from and who they really were." [15] WOXY.com ranked it 271st on their combined list of the 500 best modern rock songs of all time. [16]

Track list

Below is the track list for both sides of the single. [17]

Side A

  1. "Start Choppin" (J. Mascis) – 5:39

Side B

  1. "Turnip Farm" (Mascis, Kurt Fedora) – 5:49
  2. "Forget It" (Mascis) – 4:04

Charts

Chart (1993)Peak
position
Ireland (IRMA) [18] 20
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) [19] 40
UK Singles (OCC) [20] 20
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [21] 3

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dinosaur Jr.</span> American rock band

Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, the band was forced to change their name due to legal issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lou Barlow</span> American musician

Louis Knox Barlow is an American alternative rock musician and songwriter. A founding member of the groups Dinosaur Jr., Sebadoh and The Folk Implosion, Barlow is credited with helping to pioneer the lo-fi style of rock music in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His first band, which was formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, was Deep Wound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J Mascis</span> American musician

Joseph Donald Mascis Jr., better known as J Mascis, is an American musician who is the singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. He has also released several albums as a solo artist and played drums and guitar on other projects. He was ranked number 74 in a Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists", and number 5 in a similar list for Spin magazine in 2012.

<i>Psychocandy</i> 1985 studio album by the Jesus and Mary Chain

Psychocandy is the debut studio album by Scottish rock band the Jesus and Mary Chain. It was released in November 1985 on Blanco y Negro Records. The album is considered a landmark recording: its combination of guitar feedback and noise with traditional pop melody and structure proved influential on the forthcoming shoegaze genre and alternative rock in general.

<i>Where You Been</i> 1993 studio album by Dinosaur Jr.

Where You Been is the fifth official studio album by Dinosaur Jr., released on February 9, 1993.

<i>Youre Living All Over Me</i> 1987 studio album by Dinosaur Jr.

You're Living All Over Me is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. It was released on December 14, 1987, through SST Records.

<i>Green Mind</i> 1991 studio album by Dinosaur Jr.

Green Mind is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released in 1991. It was the band's first release after bassist Lou Barlow's departure, as well as the first released by a major label. The record is close to being a J Mascis solo album: he played most of the instruments, with founding drummer Murph only featuring on three tracks.

<i>Without a Sound</i> 1994 studio album by Dinosaur Jr.

Without a Sound is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released on August 23, 1994. It is the first Dinosaur Jr. album not to feature Murph on drums, who is replaced by vocalist and guitarist J Mascis. It is also their most commercially successful album, peaking at number 44 on the Billboard Top 200. "Feel the Pain" and "I Don't Think So" were released as singles, with "Feel the Pain" reaching number 4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming one of their biggest hits. Mascis later admitted that his father's death affected his writing and performance on this album, and he took three years to deliver the next Dinosaur Jr. LP, 1997's Hand It Over.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Another Girl, Another Planet</span> 1978 new wave song by English band The Only Ones

"Another Girl, Another Planet" is a song by the English rock band the Only Ones. It is the second track on their debut studio album, the Only Ones, released in 1978. The song is the band's most successful and has since been covered by several other performers.

<i>Hand It Over</i> Album by Dinosaur Jr.

Hand It Over is the seventh studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released on March 25, 1997, on Reprise Records. It peaked at #188 in the United States. According to a 2007 Magnet interview with band leader J Mascis, Hand It Over is his favorite album from the group's major label period of the 1990s.

<i>Beyond</i> (Dinosaur Jr. album) 2007 studio album by Dinosaur Jr.

Beyond is the eighth studio album by the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. It was their first LP in a decade after 1997's Hand It Over, and the first album by the original lineup since 1988's Bug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cannonball (The Breeders song)</span> 1993 single by the Breeders

"Cannonball" is a song by American alternative rock band the Breeders from their second studio album, Last Splash (1993). It was released as a single on August 9, 1993, on 4AD and Elektra Records, reaching No. 44 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 40 on the UK Singles Chart. In November 1993, the single was released in France, where it charted for 30 weeks, peaking at No. 8. The song demo was originally called "Grunggae" as it merged "island riffs and grunge". This demo was later included in the 20th anniversary re-release of the album LSXX.

<i>Head to Toe</i> (EP) 1994 single by the Breeders

Head to Toe is an extended play (EP) by American alternative rock band the Breeders. It was released in July 1994 on Elektra Records and 4AD, peaking at number 68 on the UK Singles Chart. The EP contains a cover of Guided by Voices' "Shocker in Gloomtown," which helped ignite interest in the band. It also contains a cover of Sebadoh's "Freed Pig", a song written by Lou Barlow about former Dinosaur Jr bandmate J Mascis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feel the Pain</span> 1994 single by Dinosaur Jr.

"Feel the Pain" is a single by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. from their 1994 album Without a Sound. It was released as the debut single from the album the same year, reaching number four on the Modern Rock charts in the US and number 25 in the UK. A music video for the song was also released, helping boost the song's popularity.

<i>Farm</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Dinosaur Jr.

Farm is the ninth studio album by American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. It is the band's first release on the record label Jagjaguwar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Wagon</span> 1991 single by Dinosaur Jr.

"The Wagon" is a song by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released on their 1991 album Green Mind. Featuring lyrics inspired by the band's use of station wagons for transportation in its early days, the song was written by J Mascis and was one of the three songs on Green Mind to include drummer Murph.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freak Scene</span> 1988 single by Dinosaur Jr.

"Freak Scene" is a song by American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., the opening track on the group's third studio album Bug (1988). Written and produced by frontman J Mascis, the song was recorded at Fort Apache Studios by engineers Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade. "Freak Scene" was released as a single on SST Records in the United States and was also Dinosaur Jr.'s first release on Blast First in the United Kingdom. The band also made a music video to promote the single.

<i>Elastic Days</i> 2018 studio album by J Mascis

Elastic Days is the third solo studio album by Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis. It was released through Sub Pop Records on November 9, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Out There (Dinosaur Jr. song)</span> 1993 single by Dinosaur Jr.

"Out There" is a song by Dinosaur Jr. written by J Mascis and taken from their 1993 album Where You Been. Notable for its guitar solo and use of chimes, "Out There" was a moderate alternative radio success in the US. Released as a single in Europe, "Out There" charted at number 44 in the UK. The song has since been praised by critics as a highlight of Where You Been.

References

  1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Ear-Bleeding Country: The Best of Dinosaur Jr. - Dinosaur Jr. | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 5 December 2021.
  2. 1 2 Soulsby, Nick (25 September 2019). "Dinosaur Jr.'s Reissued 'Where You Been' Is a Rough-Cut Diamond". PopMatters . Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Back cover". Start Choppin (12" Vinyl). Dinosaur Jr. United Kingdom: Spam as the Bread Music. 1992.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  4. ↑ "Dinosaur Jr* - Start Choppin (UK)". Discogs . Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  5. ↑ "Dinosaur Jr* - Start Choppin (US release)". Discogs . Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  6. ↑ Grow, Kory (3 October 2019). "J Mascis on the Nineties, Nirvana, and Dinosaur Jr.'s Forgotten Masterpiece". Rolling Stone . Retrieved 10 October 2019.
  7. ↑ Wawzenek, Bryan (9 February 2018). "25 Years Ago: Dinosaur Jr. Rise to the Brink of Stardom on 'Where You Been'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  8. ↑ "Start Choppin". The Official Charts Company . Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  9. ↑ "Dinosaur Jr. - Awards". AllMusic . Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  10. ↑ Raggett, Ned. "Where You Been - Dinosaur Jr. | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  11. ↑ "1993". CMJ . Vol. 78, no. 847. 5 January 2004. p. 33.
  12. ↑ Aaron, Charles (June 1993). "Singles". Spin . Vol. 9, no. 3. SPIN Media LLC. p. 90.
  13. ↑ "Rocklist.net...Select End Of Year Lists." www.rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  14. ↑ "Rocklist.net...Steve Parker...Pitchfork 500..." www.rocklistmusic.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  15. ↑ "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 100-51". Pitchfork . 1 September 2010. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  16. ↑ "WOXY". Google Docs. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  17. ↑ "Vinyl sticker". Start Choppin (12" Vinyl). Dinosaur Jr. United Kingdom: Spam as the Bread Music. 1992.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Dinosaur Jr.". Irish Singles Chart.
  19. ↑ "Dinosaur Jr. – Start Choppin'". Singles Top 100.
  20. ↑ "Dinosaur Jr.: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  21. ↑ "Dinosaur Jr. Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.