A perfect mix of old and new
Elastic Days, the newest album by Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis, is a balancing act. The Sub-Pop release hinges on blending the old–high-octane riffs and killer guitar solos–with the new–a stripped down, acoustic-driven framework that shapes every song on the record. Elastic Days stands on its own as a distinctly different sound from Dinosaur Jr. while incorporating some of the iconic ’90s group’s best qualities. There is not a single bad song on the album, though it lacks variance, as nearly every song follows what eventually becomes a rather predictable formula. Still, J Mascis’s songwriting is top notch, and he remains one of rock’s truly elite guitarists. The end result is a flawed but entertaining album that strikes out on its own, expanding J Mascis’s horizons as a solo artist.
“See You At The Movies” serves as both the album’s opener and one of its singles. It serves as a roadmap for the rest of the album, beginning with a folk-rock sound reminiscent of Tom Petty, but soon throwing it back to that classic, distinctly ‘90s Dinosaur Jr. sound with a few screaming, melodic guitar solos dripping with thick, unmistakable J Mascis tone. Just as he has throughout his career, he combines a throaty neck pick up voicing with stirring, emotional melodies. This song embodies an older, wiser and more restrained J Mascis that still knows how to crank up the dial and churn out some of the best guitar work in indie rock today.
“Web So Dense” has a distinctly minor tonality, but similarly to the previous track, it’s driven primarily by acoustic guitar and J Mascis’s vocals, with a memorable and haunting electric guitar resonating throughout the intro. His electric guitar continues to make a noticeable impact, as he lays forth a beautiful, effect-laden melody after the first verse that evokes echoes of Pink Floyd. Like much of the album, this song is a deeply personal one. “It’s the long way to get to you / It’s the wrong way to see the truth / It’s a deep place I thought I knew / It’s the long way to get to you,” sings J Mascis. It’s this grounded, personal songwriting that makes the build-up to his epic shredding feel earned.
“Sky Is All We Had” continues to drive the new folky, soft-rock approach ever-present in Elastic Days. This song could slip onto a Counting Crows greatest hits album and go unnoticed, especially given the similarities in vocal styles between J Mascis and Adam Duritz. Once again, J Mascis’s seething, unrelenting electric guitar comes flying in like a ton of bricks, completely reinventing the sound of the song halfway through. It’s nice to see him picking and choosing his spots to really dial it in and shred, as it makes these bits of lead guitar work even more effective and leaves the listener wanting more. However, this process does become a bit telegraphed after a few songs, and the listener begins to easily predict when to expect a still-awesome, face-melting solo to arrive.
“Picking Out The Seed” showcases J Mascis’s vocal range, as he flashes some nice falsetto vocals in the first verse. Much like the rest of the album, its led by acoustic guitar and vocals.
By this point in Elastic Days, it’s clear that it holds some musical connective tissue: folk and soft-rock progressions with some blues and southern rock influences in J Mascis’s signature lead guitar playing, which makes the album feel cohesive. But just as the audience learns when to expect a guitar solo, the song formula and tone of the album is starting to blend together and sound perhaps a bit too similar from one song to the next. This doesn’t detract from the overall quality of each song, though it does slightly diminish it when listening front to back.
The title track is one of the best on the album. While J Mascis uses his electric guitar in similarly predictable spots in this song, it has a distinctly different character. He strips away the distortion, presenting the listener with concise, tasteful melodies lightly coated with some reverb and uni-vibe. This song does present a much-needed dynamic change, though perhaps not the one that’s expected. The entire album is a balancing act between J Mascis’s new, acoustic-driven sound and building up to screeching lead guitar riffs reminiscent of days gone by. But rather than going full tilt into the ‘90s rock sound, this song maintains that restraint from beginning to end, even when introducing electric guitar to the mix. In this way, it’s a fitting title track, as it feels like this song truly masters that balance of old and new.
Elastic Days isn’t perfect, but it is damn good nonetheless. Despite being predictable at times, it’s equal parts familiar and refreshing. Longtime fans of J Mascis and Dinosaur Jr. will certainly enjoy this offering, as will indie and alternative fans, especially those with a soft spot for singer-songwriter folk music. It’s clear even after all these years that J Mascis is still one of the most talented individuals in rock music, and Elastic Days will leave listeners excited for whatever project he cooks up next.
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