J Mascis

Tied to a Star (Sub Pop)

A departure from his pulverizing guitar blasts in Dinosaur Jr., J Mascis’ predominantly acoustic sophomore LP contrasts in soft simplicity. Unrushed, with fragile folk fingerpicking, Tied to a Star is also unconfined, the shred deity still shaking off electrifying riffs at his discretion, as on “Trailing Off” and the buoyant “Every Morning.” A hushed duet with Chan Marshall, “Wide Awake” shines brightest on her smoky whir. Since comparisons are inevitable, what’s missing is the hard/soft polarity present in Dino albums; alongside the trio’s cranked volume and skull-splitting solos, Mascis’ vocals rarely exceed a reserved croak, creating a workable emotive dichotomy. Akin to Doug Martsch’s 2002 solo debut, Mascis’ side work remains foreign in its acoustic aesthetic, but like the Built to Spill frontman’s Now You Know, celebrates its songwriter’s new stylistic terrain. (7:20pm, Yellow stage)

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This article appears in November 7 • 2014.

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