J Mascis - Several Shades Of Why

I think it is the anticipation of summer that makes spring such an exciting season. It is that transitional period where little signs of the lazy care-free months ahead begin to appear. Several Shades Of Why really is the perfect soundtrack to this time. The serene atmosphere created by this record becomes the musical backdrop to the sun beginning to come back and daydreams of the warmer months ahead.

This is J’s first offering of a full studio acoustic release. Releases like the acoustic Live At CBGB’s and some of J Mascis And The Fog’s output gave us an idea of J’s mellower side. Several Shades Of Why has however affirmed the notion that J is just as confident in front of an acoustic as his is deafening crowds of people with his ear-bleed-inducing, fuzz-laden masterpieces. Interestingly, J decided to omit drums from this record, something which was a brilliant decision. Leaving them out has helped to not take away from the record’s laid back atmosphere.

Album opener Listen To Me sets the tone perfectly, a simple three minute track with just J and his acoustic. Following this is the wonderful album title track Several Shades Of Why: a beautiful fingerpicked intro followed by J kicking into the song, with a delicately played violin wedged between J’s layers of acoustic guitar. The songs that follow are a similar warm and mellow affair. It is not until Is It Done that we start to hear some of J’s synonymous soloing. Layered with a fuzz pedal, J manages to create a wonderfully chilled out solo, akin to Dinosaur Jr’s Feel The Pain mellowed out.

Even though the record is totally chilled out, it has a sense of build-up in it. Where the opening half is a mainly folk-tinged affair, the second half sees J soloing and introducing a fuzz pedal on songs like Where Are You and Can I. Closing track What Happened is a more upbeat affair. Starting off with simple strumming and developing into J’s complex soloing, it feels like the build up to the end of a great journey.

And that is what Several Shades Of Why is: it is a brilliant musical journey, almost always laid back but with moments that build up to tranquil beauty. As the closing notes of What Happened fade away, there is only one thing to do: put the record back on again. It is just one of those records that is crying out to be played and played.

Several Shades Of Why is out now!
For more info on J visit http://jmascis.com/

RT