"J. Mascis goes solo, in his own quiet way"

[MMJ_fanatic]

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2011/03/14/j_mascis_goes_solo_in_his_own_quiet_way/


Write-up of new J. Mascis solo disc from Boston paper:
"For his first solo studio album, J. Mascis, the Dinosaur Jr. frontman and guitarist, mostly turns off the fuzz, turns down the volume, and turns up the pathos. The results are several shades of enchanting as this occasionally delicate, at times warped folk song cycle is suffused with a kind of yearning familiar to anyone who has spent late nights into early mornings contemplating love and life.

While Mascis is going it alone on the album cover, the taciturn singer-songwriter called on several friends to contribute various gifts to "Several Shades of Why.'' First among equals is Sophie Trudeau of A Silver Mount Zion, whose impossibly elegant fiddle lines add a pastoral beauty to the title track. Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses proves a perfect foil for Mascis's singular warble on several songs and joins fellow backing vocalists Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene and Kurt Vile to form a winsome choir on the springy, tambourine-powered "Not Enough.''

Vile also adds a dollop of coolly askew slide guitar to "Make It Right.'' Other helping hands come from Pall Jenkins of Black Heart Procession and Suzanne Thorpe of Wounded Knees. Even buddy Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth chipped in with her handwriting on the album cover.

While the album is certainly quieter and more contained than most of the projects Mascis has worked on, it is certainly no less effective. (Out tomorrow) SARAH RODMAN

ESSENTIAL "Can I''"

Sounds like one to add to the library. 8)

[rincon]

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/cd_reviews/articles/2011/03/14/j_mascis_goes_solo_in_his_own_quiet_way/


Write-up of new J. Mascis solo disc from Boston paper:
"For his first solo studio album, J. Mascis, the Dinosaur Jr. frontman and guitarist, mostly turns off the fuzz, turns down the volume, and turns up the pathos. The results are several shades of enchanting as this occasionally delicate, at times warped folk song cycle is suffused with a kind of yearning familiar to anyone who has spent late nights into early mornings contemplating love and life.

Tweet 0diggsdiggYahoo! Buzz ShareThis While Mascis is going it alone on the album cover, the taciturn singer-songwriter called on several friends to contribute various gifts to "Several Shades of Why.'' First among equals is Sophie Trudeau of A Silver Mount Zion, whose impossibly elegant fiddle lines add a pastoral beauty to the title track. Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses proves a perfect foil for Mascis's singular warble on several songs and joins fellow backing vocalists Kevin Drew of Broken Social Scene and Kurt Vile to form a winsome choir on the springy, tambourine-powered "Not Enough.''

Vile also adds a dollop of coolly askew slide guitar to "Make It Right.'' Other helping hands come from Pall Jenkins of Black Heart Procession and Suzanne Thorpe of Wounded Knees. Even buddy Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth chipped in with her handwriting on the album cover.

While the album is certainly quieter and more contained than most of the projects Mascis has worked on, it is certainly no less effective. (Out tomorrow) SARAH RODMAN

ESSENTIAL "Can I''"

Sounds like one to add to the library. 8)

I can't believe you posted that. I was just going to post my thoughts on the new album by him. It came out on Rhapsody today. It is very good, but much more acoustic than Dinosaur Jr., at least what I am familiar with. What a great talent he is, even though he  looks like the goofy gay giant dude from the Sarah Silverman Show.

[ralph]

Really looking forward to this. The last 2 Dino records have been awesome... Would love to see another J solo show. Saw him once support Sonic Youth. Just sat on a stool in the middle of the stage with a gutair and bunch of effects pedals and blew everyone away.

[bold992006]

I'm such an idiot for not going to Newbury Comics on Tues and seeing his in store performance.  I'm def going to see him with Kurt Vile later in March...and if you have ever seen him perform acoustic, it really doesn't mean totally acoustic..he was cranking pedals Tues like crazy.

I'm going to pick this album up today.

[sweatboard]

This record is absolutly amazing.  I've been listening to it this morning on Rhapsody.  Far and away the best record I've heard this year.

[Penny Lane]

I'm such an idiot for not going to Newbury Comics on Tues and seeing his in store performance.  I'm def going to see him with Kurt Vile later in March...and if you have ever seen him perform acoustic, it really doesn't mean totally acoustic..he was cranking pedals Tues like crazy.

I'm going to pick this album up today.

yeah i saw that youtube clip, it looked pretty sweet..i was surprised you didn't go..

[Hawkeye]

A friend told me about a Mascis acoustic album last April?!  Hmm, I wonder what she was talking about...

Looks like there are a few possibilities:

J & Friends Sing & Chant for Amma
Live at CBGB's...altho that did not come out til August

Hmm...

Never knew of the Fog until I was looking around Amazon...he has done a lot with them.

Anyway, this album sounds good!