J Mascis Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Even though J Mascis was Dinosaur Jr. for all practical intents and purposes from Green Mind onward (other folks may have joined him on stage and in the studio, but he certainly called all the shots), retiring the name seems to have taken a bit of weight off his shoulders, and his work sounds a good bit more comfortable as a result. Free So Free, his second album under the rubric J Mascis + the Fog, is still built around the "Neil Young gone stoner rock" guitar textures and pot-fueled melodic structures he's been plying since 1985, but the almost funky rhythms of "Freedom," the understated boogie of "Bobbin," and slightly jazzy undertow of the title cut suggest Mascis is learning to play looser and lighter these days, and the results appear to suit him. While a handful of musicians are credited with playing on various tracks, it seems that much of Free So Free is Mascis accompanying himself through the magic of multitracking, but the feel is warm and organic, and the guitars, while still big and fuzzy, gently nudge almost as often as the bludgeon on this set; if the form is much the same, the end product is certainly something new. If the difference between the more "mature" J Mascis on his two albums with the Fog and his earlier work with Dinosaur Jr. is largely a matter of small details, those details still add up to something, and Free So Free demonstrates he's been evolving at his own comfortable pace; the results are sure to please longtime fans, while possibly reeling in a few folks who were turned off by the sonic excess of Dinosaur Jr. at their most punishing. ~ Mark Deming, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Most of J. Mascis' '90s output was humdrum and samey, all whiney lyrics and metalhead guitar solos slopped over washed-out grunge riffs. By the time he dropped the Dinosaur Jr. moniker and released Martin + Me, it wasn't just because he sang with the same hound dog warble that people compared him to Neil Young; it was also because he seemed to have succumbed to half-assedness. That considered, More Light sounds pretty damned vital. The sameyness is still there, granted, but like Young, his spiritual godfather, Mascis has a way of making his ramshackle melodies downright endearing, and if you're a kindhearted soul, that'll allow you to forgive the half-assed stuff. The best tracks find Mascis sticking his head up out of the murk of guitar noise and lazy melody to deliver slices of snappy grunge pop: "Sameday" bounces between minor-key whine and major-key stomp as Mascis croaks his way through a stoner's lament, while the bouncy "Can't I Take This On" shows that there's a lighter side to the dude's brooding mewl. Even with production help from Kevin Shields, his guitar skronk is only ever-present background buzz, but noise is only half the point: too lazy to find a new bag of tricks, Mascis is squeezing every drop of dingy melody and begrudging sincerity out of growing old and just coasting along. If that's the best he can do, so be it. ~ Christian Hoard, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Martin + Me, the first solo album from Dinosaur Jr. leader J Mascis, was recorded on his acoustic tour in the fall of 1995. Mascis ran through a number of Dinosaur songs, as well as a handful of covers (the Smiths' "The Boy With the Thorn in His Side," the Wipers' "On the Run," Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Every Mother's Son," Carly Simon's "Anticipation"). On the surface, it would appear that Martin + Me is simply a curiosity for dedicated Dinosaur fans, but that isn't the case. Performed without the loud guitars and winding solos that dominate Dinosaur's records, the songs are a revelation -- Mascis' songs do have their weaknesses, primarily lyrical, but they work very well stripped down to their essentials. He also has chosen a strong set list, featuring some of his best songs -- including "Thumb," "Get Me," "Keeblin," "Blowin' It," and "Repulsion" -- and his covers are surprisingly enjoyable. For dedicated fans, it is refreshing to hear Mascis in such a spare setting, but Martin + Me has enough charm to appeal to even casual Dinosaur fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
