Sub Pop

With J Mascis you might be thinking head-splitting guitar distortion à la Dinosaur Jr. – or maybe some drum bashing like we find in side projects likeWitch and Sweet Apple. But for his first ever solo studio album, Mascis goes acoustic and brings along his friends. Featuring Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses), Kurt Vile, Kevin Drew (Broken Social Scene), Sophie Trudeau (A Silver Mount Zion) and several others, the result is a revelation, exposing a rootsy, delicate side of Mascis that recalls everyone from solo Eddie Vedder to Jerry Garcia. He scores extra points for his violin work on the title track. After more than 15 years, the alt-rock icon proves that he’s still got a few tricks up his sleeve.