J Mascis Is Tied To A Star

The resurrection of Dinosaur Jr. with I Bet On Sky sparked some speculation whether or not Joseph Donald Mascis a.k.a. J Mascis would ever get around to producing another solo album. Tied To A Star puts that question to rest with even more contemplative confidence from the soft-spoken artist.

Building upon Several Shades Of Why, his solid solo debut with Subpop Records three years ago, Tied To A Star is an intimate revision of his quieter side with 10 tracks that have all the heart of just happening to be around when Mascis picks up a guitar. Half the songs sound so spontaneous that you can almost imagine him smiling, "Hey, listen to this. It's something I've been working on ..."

It could be said that the album was almost approached this way. It was recorded and produced by Mascis and mixed by John Agnello at Bisquiteen in Amherst, Massachusetts. Some of his friends who turned out to make guest appearances include musicians Ken Maiuri (Young@Heart Chorus), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), Mark Mulcahy (Miracle Legion) and Chan Marshall (Cat Power).

Tied To A Star captures the quiet contemplation of J Mascis.

Don't expect too much roar from his guitar, drums and vocals on this album. While his brilliance shines through, almost all of it is handled as delicately as his interviews. The lyrics are laconic, the tone is soft and precise, the treatment is heartfelt and dreamy.

The lead track, Every Morning, recently appeared on Funny Or Die as a video featuring Mascis as a cult leader named Space Angel. The cast includes some great guest appearances too, including James Mercer, Peter Holmstrom, and Fred Armisen.


Although Every Morning has an upbeat tempo and crisp guitar work that stands out like a second chorus, the lyrics are not especially cheerful. In short, Mascis makes the case that it's a struggle to make it through the morning. Wide Awake, which was also released in advance of the album, is much more cheerful.

It opens with some amazingly gentle guitar work right out of the gate. The track paints the picture of Mascis waking up ahead of his partner and wondering about their life together. He's eventually answered by Marshall with a response that merely echoes him as the song matures into a duet. It's treated as a tender, private moment that Mascis compresses into the confines of a few minutes.

Much like both tracks allude to, Mascis has abandoned much of the minimalist nature of Several Shades Of Why and expanded his solo compositions to include texture. His guitar work remains the cornerstone of this album throughout. His tender and restrained vocals only lend a distant and often lonely uniqueness in comparison.

Heal The Star is probably the best track on the album, with both a signature strum and strained falsetto until the uptick toward the end. The instrumental Drifter captures what some mistake as a slacker sensibility. And Then and Trailing Off are relaxed indie rock numbers that will remind some people of Several Shades Of Why, except with much more musical depth than an acoustic alone.

There are some instrumental shifts and surprises on both tracks before Mascis eases into his closers. Come Down an Better Plane are thoughtful pieces, with the former being modestly hopeful.

Tied To A Star By J Mascis Rounds Out 7.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale.

Tied To A Star is exactly what someone might expect from a J Mascis solo album. It's not groundbreaking as much as it is a glimpse at his mastery of music. Anyone who appreciates his work will fall for this one.

You can find Tied to a Star [+digital booklet] by J Mascis on Amazon or download the album from iTunes. The vinyl edition of Tied To A Star is listed on Barnes & Noble. J Mascis is touring to support the album. For tour dates and venues, visit him on Facebook.

Dinosaur Jr. Makes A Bet On The Sky

J Mascis has been busy and his business has been of the best kind. After several projects, including Several Shades Of Why, the original Dinosaur Jr. lineup snuck into the studio once again to shake up their sound and produce their third album since 2007 (tenth since 1985, although several without Murph and Lou Barlow).

If I Bet On Sky proves anything, it's that J Mascis is even more comfortable producing the music he wants to make without any concern for anything else. It's in this space when Mascis sounds his best, along with Emmett "Murph" Murphy and Barlow (Sebadoh). As music pioneers, people expect them to press ever on with their pop-rock-punk uniqueness. They never disappoint.

I Bet On Sky rolls out with 10 plus one. 

Eleven tracks will give people plenty to talk about, especially with Mascis' beautifully indifferent vocals over the distinct whine of their guitars and consistently tight drums throughout most of the album. Of course, Mascis doesn't sing all eleven. Barlow takes the lead vocals on two, Rude and Recognition.

The first track to be taken in, Watch The Corners, was released in advance of the album as a music video. Like many of the songs, it rolls along with introspection and the passage of time — how we do things, lose things, miss things, and will never have the chance to get them back.

There's a sadness to the song, a loneliness like almost nobody but Mascis can deliver. It also makes you wonder how much the soft-spoken singer-songwriter sometimes reflects on his own life in every somber melodic note.



On the album, Watch The Corners follows Don't Pretend You Didn't Know, which has a similar tempo but with Mascis relying on keys more than his signature guitar. The opener is about waiting for something to spur you along past your fears and toward your dreams. It's mostly about a girl, but it doesn't have to be.

The same might be said about Almost Fare, with more heaviness in the instruments and punctuated by indecision. There's a solid groove to the tune and it makes a perfect lead-in for the ballad Stick A Toe In, where Mascis' lyrics finally seem to get around to doing something instead of sitting back almost unnoticed in a self-reflective corner of the room.

The first four make the punkier attitude of Rude provide a change of pace. It's much less dreamy and much more physical, giving the album the perfect bounce. Along with the punk influence, there is also some folkiness to it. Although still reasonably low key, Rude has a bit of rawness that would make for a  lead-in to a jam session.

The balance of a good bet on music. 

With Rude bringing up the tempo, Mascis brings it up on I Know It Oh So Well. It's a great song, with some introspection and a relentlessly even beat. Pierce The Morning Rain is one of the most consistent and clearest tracks, with a few brilliant guitar riffs tucked inside. For as short as it, it's most reminiscent of classic Dinosaur Jr. and has an immediate impact. The album name comes from this song.

See It On Your Side closes out the album with some of the band's best guitar work. After two of the weaker tracks on the album, this one stands out as one that will be long remembered for its lyrics, composition, and occasionally chaotic intensity across the instrumentals.

The eleventh track is truly a bonus. This live version of Pond Song from Bug brings it up to date, with Mascis' increasingly muddy and raspy voice making it even more interesting than when it was first released. Playing the original studio version against this live recording gives a glimpse into how the band has changed and matured — all of it, if not almost all of it, for the better.

I Bet On Sky By Dinosaur Jr. Wins With 8.8 On Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

Dinosaur Jr. is one of those bands that every album, whether together or apart, dresses up another generation of influence. Even when they play their old songs, they catch people by surprise. Pond Song is a great example. When it was released, it was one of their best underrated songs. Nowadays, people ask for it.

I Bet On Sky by Dinosaur Jr. was put out by Jagjaguwar and can be found on Amazon. You can also find the album at Barnes & Noble or download it from iTunes. They have several shows lined up in support of the album and you can keep up with them on Facebook. The hero shot above is from their release day party via Instagram.

Circle By J Mascis Completes Shades

Ever since Joseph Donald Mascis a.k.a. J Mascis covered the song Circle by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians for Kevin Cole with KEXP Seattle, some people have been asking Sub Pop Records to put it out as a single. Mascis also plays it at live solo shows.

The cover was originally included as a bonus track of his album Several Shades Of Why, released last March, but only as a bonus on the Japanese version. The video with KEXP is especially great because Cole is authentically perplexed to hear it, even asking Mascis "That's not on the new album … what is that song?" Mascis laughs "...it's on the Japanese version."

Circle is an important missing link to Several Shades Of Why.

Covering Circle was one of several ideas Megan Jasper with Sub Pop came up with after convincing Mascis to make a solo album. While the cover doesn't eclipse the original by Brickell, it's a fitting compliment to the composition and seems to capture the soft-spoken off-stage side of Mascis, known for answering interview questions in ten carefully chosen words or less. 

Music has always been his first language, whether he sings, plays guitar, or sits behind the drums. With Circle, he hits everything right even if the layered vocals don't play as well as they do when he is live and straightforward like he played it for KEXP. 

Releasing Circle was clearly a smart choice by Sub Pop, along with I've Been Thinking on the b-side. The release breathes new life into Several Shades Of Why, which garnered positive reviews but not nearly the level of fan support one might have anticipated, especially with support from such talents as Kurt Vile, Ben Bridwell, and Sophie Trudeau. 

The reason for some fans holding out support is misguided but understandable. J Mascis wasn't looking to make a Dinosaur Jr. album and his decision to make it an acoustic album, without drums, drove the entire project in a different direction. Regardless, for people who know music, Several Shades Of Why was Mascis' best compilation of new, old, and covered songs in a long time. 

More often, he is content to engage in side projects and collaborations when it feels right. It doesn't always matter whether it feels right for everyone. Anyone who wishes more of Witch would have sounded like the opening song Seer knows what I mean. But no matter, Witch not lasting opened the doors for Farm or Beyond from Dinosaur Jr. and possibly his first full-length solo. 

Maybe some will reconsider him with the release of Circle. For those unfamiliar with it, Circle was one of Brickell's defining songs as a singer-songwriter. It represents a sound several people, myself included, wishes she would return to. Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars is still worth a spin.

But maybe that's the point. As much as anyone could make a case for Mascis to stick to his phenomenal guitar work and beautifully rasping vocals, Brickell can chart her own course. Much like the song says, "nothing's good enough for anybody else, it seems." But then again, maybe that's why Mascis' rendition is such a compliment. Brickell was almost pained in the original where Mascis wears it like a second skin.

Circle By J Mascis Runs Around At 6.9 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

Circle is certainly a must-have, especially for anyone who appreciated Several Shades Of Why. For anyone else, it serves up a gentle reminder why the solo album deserves a second listen. Tracks that merit ample attention include: Listen To Me, Not Enough, It Is Done, Where You Are, and What Happened. By the way, if you ever wondered, Mascis goes by "J" because he was Joseph Jr. 

You can pick up Circle by J Mascis on iTunes, and listen to a few tracks from Several Shades Of Why.   You can also find the original version by Brickell there. Circle b/w I've Been Thinking by J Mascis can also be found on Amazon. Barnes & Noble carries a vinyl release of Several Shades Of Why, but it does not include the single.