J Mascis
Relentless Garage, London
14/04/2011

It’s perhaps unfair to assume that the crowd for a J Mascis show would be mostly populated by middle-aged men with Dinosaur Jr. t-shirts and bald patches, but a cursory glance around the Garage shows said assumption to be well-founded. Back to matters musical, it’s just as well Mascis is happy to please the assembled hardcore Dino fans. Kicking off with ‘The Wagon’ was always going to be an indication of things to come and even though he’s got a new acoustic album to promote, he doesn’t seem all that keen on treating us to many cuts from it – which is obviously fine by the audience.

The title track, ‘Several Shades Of Why’, is a delicate Paul Simon-alike ramble that glides along with a simplicity that we’re not used to from Mascis, while the ambling ‘Listen To Me’ displays with a new rawness the latent emotional power he was always capable of with Dinosaur Jr.. Acoustic songs suit Mascis well and despite being none-too-conversational (save for a brief anecdote about Frank Zappa) he’s as engaging as he’s ever been. Perhaps the most unexpected song choice is the bucolic ‘Ocean In The Way’ from Dinosaur Jr.’s most recent ‘Farm’ LP, one that Mascis tells us “we never play live”, so it’s a genuine treat.

Of course, usually being flanked by at least four Marshall stacks is bound to have an indelible effect on how one plays guitar, and Mascis can’t resist some more traditionally raucous axework as the set goes on. What’s remarkable about his playing is that it is every bit as precise, melodically inventive and hair-brained as when he’s plugged in and backed by chugging riffs. The acoustic setting is nothing more than a different medium and on the evidence of tonight’s heart-warmed punters, he conquers it without breaking a sweat.

Daniel Ross