There was a good chunk of time when the difference between a proper Dinosaur Jr track and a J Mascis solo song were pretty indecipherable if there was any difference at all. By the mid '90's, the band was essentially a J solo act before he retired the name altogether. Now that the band has reformed and tensions have subsided, Mascis' independent efforts are a bit more clear. On his past three solo records, he's traded his signature electric sound for softer, more reflective acoustic numbers. For his next effort, J has added more textures and a full-band sound while still leaning heavily into acoustic sounds as his main player. “When I’m writing for the band, I’m always trying to think of doing things Lou and Murph would fit into,” Mascis said in a press release. “For myself, I’m thinking more about what I can do with just an acoustic guitar, even for the leads.” For a man famously sheepish of delving into details, he's been relatively open about the new album's creation. “Of course, this time, I added full drums and electric leads, although the rhythm parts are still all acoustic,” he continued. “Usually, I try to do the solo stuff more simply so I can play it by myself, but I really wanted to add the drums. Once that started, everything else just fell into place. So it ended up sounding a lot more like a band record. I dunno why I did that exactly, but it’s just what happened.” While he's often short on words and lengthy explanations, he makes up for it through soaring guitar solos that shake the very foundation of whichever room they're played in and that rings true on "Can't Believe We're Here." Sometimes the best just can't help themselves and lucky for us, J has plenty to shred and share.
What Do We Do Now is out February 2.
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