Strung out guitars. Walls of sonic feedback. Vague and incoherent lyrics. It’s as if the zeitgeist of late-’80s alt-rock never bastardized its way into the ’90s.

With their latest effort, the original members of Dinosaur Jr. seamlessly continue where they left off – at the height of their pre-grunge progression. Despite a decade-long vacation and fluctuations in their lineup, the band’s early sound surfaces once again with J. Mascis’ freeform, Neil Young-esque fret shreds, Patrick Murphy’s madhouse drums and Lou Barlow’s punky sentimentalism.

While the majority of Beyond retains the characteristic fuzz of Mascis’ solo efforts, the restoration of the original lineup brings about a much-needed reinvigoration. Barlow’s “”I Got Lost”” rests on strings (yes, strings) that subtly complement its diffident lyrics and Mascis’ heartfelt yowling. Occasionally, the melodies veer toward awkward, threatening to teeter off into grunge metal, but more than recover with tracks like “”Pick Me Up”” – on which Mascis rips out his signature gratuitous guitar solo, crescendoing the song (and our nerves) into oblivion.

It’s a given that Dinosaur Jr. are entitled to revert back to their beginnings, since they are responsible for catalyzing a massive movement in the alternative rock genre. Why not return to their roots? After all, they practically invented the staple sound of the early ’90s.

Dinosaur Jr. will perform live at the Casbah on May 10.