7. J Mascis - Tied To A Star:
As much as I enjoy the bombast of Dinosaur Jr., I tend to get more excited about solo J. Masics releases these days. Tied to a Star isn’t in any way groundbreaking or revolutionary. It’s Mascis being reflective and plaintive while donning his disheveled troubadour persona. Most of these songs echo a lot of his earlier work, giving them a comfortable, familiar feel. At the same time, many of these songs seem more delicate and intricate than his other acoustic-ish work. Drums and electric guitars make appearances on several songs, but they’re used sparingly, more for emphasis than focal points. For the most part, this is a fairly quiet album.
One thing Tied to a Star really has going for it is J’s guitar playing. He’s always been capable of producing blistering solos and using fuzz and chunky rhythms to propel his songs, but this might be the most impressive playing of his career. Stripped of his pedals and effects, he demonstrates that his ability isn’t simply the product of sonic trickery. The guy can finger-pick with the best of them and plays a heck of an acoustic solo. The lyrics, while I’m sure they’re heartfelt and personal, unfortunately don’t reach the same heights as the music. Honestly though, when an album feels and sounds this good, I’m more than willing to let the lyrics slide.
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