Dinosaur Jr. mainman J Mascis is one of the most prolific music-makers of his generation. On Tied To A Star he leaves behind the fuzzed-up riffs and driving rock rhythms that made him one on the world’s most acclaimed guitarists, on an acoustic-based, at times achingly beautiful record that recalls the warmth of Elliott Smith and the wisdom of Neil Young.
It opens with ‘Me Again’: a tender tune, it boasts one of J’s finest vocals to date and perfectly sets the scene for what’s to come. His falsetto married with his impressive fret-board gymnastics are a joy to listen to, and from there the stripped-back opus offers plenty of similarly laid-back treats. His duet with Cat Power during ‘Wide Awake’ is a particular highlight, making one yearn for a full album’s worth of songs from the pair. Elsewhere, the up tempo ‘Every Morning’ proves that Mascis is more than a match for Evan Dando when it comes to crafting catchy alt-pop.
OUT AUGUST 22.