Several Shades of Why
Dinosaur Jr.’s J Mascis doesn’t simply turn off the amps for this acoustic record, but actually crafts the songs to fit the acoustic medium. For Mascis, this is a major statement. During past acoustic excursions, he played his acoustic guitars like they were hooked up to Marshall stacks. But his gentler side takes over for these positively pleasant sing-alongs. Yes, while “Listen to Me” sounds like a Dinosaur Jr. tune, “Not Enough” could be punk meets Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Similarly, “Very Nervous and Love” pushes forth the Neil Young comparisons with its deeply wounded feel. Only a few musicians are added for spice. Kurt Vile on guitar. Sophie Trudeau on violin. Pall Jenkins on keyboards. No one takes up much space. “Make It Right” and “Can I” flesh out nicely, while “Too Deep” is a sparse number that’s catchy and compact. J Mascis was never expected to make music so *soothing*. Yet, he has. A great surprise from an alternative rock legend.
In the quarter century since he founded Dinosaur (Jr.), J Mascis has created some of the era’s signature songs, albums and styles. The laconically-based roar of his guitar, drums and vocals have driven a long string of bands—Deep Wound, Dinosaur Jr., Gobblehoof, Velvet Monkeys, the Fog, Witch, Sweet Apple—and he has guested on innumerable sessions. But Several Shades of Why, recorded at Amherst, Massachusetts’ Bisquiteen Studios, is J’s first solo studio record, and it is an album of incredible beauty, performed with a delicacy not always associated with his work. Nearly all acoustic, Several Shades of Why was created with the help of a few friends. Notable amongst them are Kurt Vile, Sophie Trudeau (A Silver Mount Zion), Kurt Fedora (long-time collusionist), Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), Matt Valentine (The Golden Road), and Suzanne Thorpe (Wounded Knees). Together in small mutable groupings, they conjure up classic sounds ranging from English-tinged folk to drifty, West Coast-style singer/songwriterism. But every track, every note even, bears that distinct Mascis watermark, both in the shape of the tunes and the glorious rasp of the vocals. Ten brilliant tunes that quietly grow and expand until they fill your brain with the purest pleasure.
After more than a quarter-century, the Dinosaur Jr. leader releases his first solo album of all original material, and it's an almost entirely acoustic gem.
As frontman for seminal grunge act Dinosaur Jr., J Mascis has mastered a ferociously loud guitar sound and a monotone vocal whine that works spectacularly well for his band, even when it obscures how tuneful and well-constructed his songs are. When he puts out records under his own name, though, Mascis tends to go…
It's hard to believe that—after 25 years of squalling guitar rock with Dinosaur Jr and a slew of other bands (from The Fog to Witch)—J Mascis is just now releasing his first proper solo album, and that it's a laid-back acoustic record. But, after listening to Several Shades of Why, it's even harder to believe he hasn't explored this format more often....
Despite being best known for the skull-crushing volume of his work with Dinosaur Jr., J. Mascis has dabbled in acoustic music in the past, most notably on his 1996 album Martin + Me (Martin being his acoustic guitar).
Leader and creative force J Mascis is regularly named among great guitarists.