J. Mascis, Scala

As part of alt-rock icons Dinosaur Jr., J Mascis is famed for his blistering, proggy guitar solos and swampy distorted riffs. Yet over the last couple in years, in parallel to his day-job as frontman of the reformed band, Mascis has developed a sideline as an acoustic troubadour. New album Tied to a Star follows in the footsteps of 2011’s Several Shades of Why in transposing Mascis’ virtuosity and melodic mastery to a folksier setting. Devotees of the day job will be transfixed, but this also opens his music to fans of gentler, more introspective music. As part of his UK solo tour, Mascis will perform at the Scala, a stone’s throw from King’s Cross station.
Born in Amherst Massachusetts, Mascis began as a drummer for a hardcore band. When that imploded, Dinosaur Jr. rose from the ashes. Alongside bassist Lou Barlow and drummer Murph, Mascis’ band quickly became legendary for their signature mixture of classic rock and noisy distortion. Within this squall, Mascis’ laid-back vocals served as an anchor, the calm in the eye of the storm. When the band dissolved in the mid-90s, he fell into the underground before Dinosaur Jr. reformed in 2005. Their three-album run of new music has been greeted as every bit as essential as their earlier work, and a newly revitalized Mascis has worked on a dizzying array of side-projects, such as metal band Witch and an album of Hindu devotionals.
Tied to a Star balances a sense of world-weariness with beautifully plucked acoustic guitar, with a feeling of exploration rare amongst singers so seasoned. It can disquieting to hear a musician so taciturn create music so personal and tender, shorn of his usual racket. ‘Come Down’ beds his wistful lullaby in soft pillows of distortion, while ‘Wide Awake’ ends with a sombre electric guitar solo that hovers over the misty acoustic like a slither of cloud. Backed by a band of indie veterans, Mascis’ solo music is a jewel.