Album review: J Mascis – Tied to a Star

Many may have expected an altogether different studio debut from J Mascis, but 2011's Several Shades of Why saw the cele- brated Dinosaur Jr. axe-slinger plunder the less bombastic depths of his songwriting canon. Its follow-up continues along a similarly tender acoustic trail, his recognisable voice sometimes gritty (as heard on Me Again and Every Morning) but more often revealing a brittle falsetto (Stumble). For fans of his playing, Trailing Off and Better Plane demonstrate his trademark virtuosic soloing, but the electric guitar complements the album's low-key nature. The addition of Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power) on Wide Awake and the soft clatter of percussion on melodic instrumental Drifter lifts the often hypnotic intricacy of these songs. They are perhaps a little too understated for casual fans, but undeniably swoonsome, all the same. jmascis.com