J. Mascis + The Fog – More Light

 

J. Mascis + The Fog – More Light

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

 

You’ve led a successful indie/alternative band for 14 years. You’ve toured with your heroes, and inspired legions of young musicians with your guitar heroics and slacker aesthetics. And then you decide a change is needed.

So was the story of J. Mascis in 1997. His band Dinosaur Jr. had just released Hand It Over, an album which Mascis still considers to be one of his best. But problems with their label, Blanco y Negro/Sire – they were dropped – meant that the album was under promoted.

As a result, very few copies were sold, and fans seeing them on the tour – now featuring bassist Mike Johnson and drummer George Berz – were surprised to find out that a new record was even out. With Mascis being the only original member left, and an overall loss of interest in alternative rock, the writing was on the wall.

So, after a show at The Middle East in Cambridge, MA in November 1997, J. Mascis quietly put the Dinosaur Jr. name to rest. To paraphrase the track “Gettin’ Rough” from Hand It Over, the charm was gone, and it was time to move on.

Mascis coped with the change the only way he knew how – he retreated to his home studio, Bob’s Place. Named after his beloved bulldog – the same one which graced the cover of Dinosaur’s Whatever’s Cool With Me album – it was a sanctuary of musical equipment and inspiration.

Mascis built the studio in the mid-90s after, in his words, “staring out the window [of a recording studio] and realizing how much money [he] was wasting.” It was better to spend the recording budget on something to own and be able to spend as much time as the songs need.

Some of the new songs sounded like they could’ve been on late-period Dinosaur Jr. albums, while others were written on keyboards instead of the guitar – Mascis’ trademark instrument. And like those late-period Dinosaur albums, Mascis once again handled most of the instruments – Johnson and Berz only played on a few Dinosaur Jr. studio tracks.

Mascis did however receive some help along the way. Longtime engineer John Agnello was again handling the technical aspects. A talented producer in his own right, Agnello can be credited with helping Mascis and Dinosaur discover a cleaner sound during their 1990s major label period.

Engineer Andy Wilkinson was also on board the project. As engineer for shoegazing bands My Bloody Valentine and The Boo Radleys, Wilkinson built up a reputation as a mixer who could sort through layer and layer of instrumentation to see the bigger picture of what the song needed to sound best.

Speaking of My Bloody Valentine, Kevin Shields played his signature glide guitar style on three tracks. The tortured, reclusive guitarist had been through the ringer, trying – and failing – to create an album to follow up 1991 masterwork Loveless. He had only recently re-emerged as a member of Primal Scream when the Mascis project gained his involvement.

Shields also worked on Hand It Over, but his thumbprints are all over the three tracks he contributed to here. His woozy guitar tones gave the songs a distinct dreaminess, in contrast with Mascis’ warm, major key leads played at ear-splitting volume.

Guided By Voices frontman Robert Pollard was also involved, singing co-lead vocals on three songs with Mascis. Pollard’s melodic vocals worked wonders with Mascis’ playing and gave the tracks a poppier appeal.

The resulting album was billed to J. Mascis + The Fog. Titled More Light and released in October 2000, it was a long time in the works and had a lot to live up to, given the status of the players involved.

The album opens with the exuberant, optimistic “Same Day.” One of the more distinctly Dinosaur Jr. sounding tracks, It was no doubt picked to ease fans into the new style. Pollard joins in the chorus, after Mascis plays one of his most complex leads in the bridge.

The overall sound has all the marks of an Agnello production job, with big bold drums, stereo panning, and plenty of room for the guitars. In this sense the record sounds halfway between 1993’s Where You Been – the first Dinosaur album with Agnello’s involvement – and 2007’s reunion of the original trio Beyond, which featured an even more direct, in-your-face feeling.

More Light splits the difference by including mellow, graceful numbers such as “Ground Me To You,” which features Mascis on keyboards sounding his coziest. The melody rises steadily and falls throughout the verse, making the song a slightly different kind of Mascis earworm. With the gentle whirring of Shields’ tremolo guitars in the chorus, this is musical comfort food at it’s finest.

Shields also pops up on “Does The Kiss Fit.” He again uses his tremolo/glide guitar sound, but in a different style. His playing mirrors the melody line Mascis performs on a mellotron. With the magic of mixing, Shields’ guitar fades out in the bridge and is replaced by a rip-roaring Mascis solo. The track is a sonic masterpiece and one of the melodic highlights of the album – as well as Mascis’ career at large.

Not everything on the album is as focused on melody, however. The title track – and album closer – is much more like the sonic experiments found on side two of My Bloody Valentine’s eventual follow up to Loveless, 2013’s MBV.

Walls of overdriven guitars and Mascis’ distorted vocals keep the track going for an earsplitting five minutes, chugging along to a motorik drumbeat. While not typical Mascis fare – save for the volume – it is well executed, and worthwhile listening for any Dinosaur or MBV fan.

Another weird track that appears towards the end of the album is “Can’t I Take This On.” Featuring an off-kilter piano melody, funky start-stop drumming, falsetto vocals, and a guest “vocal” by Bob the bulldog (yes, really), it is likely to leave listeners scratching their heads. However, it is a fun diversion, and may also elicit a smile.

Overall, More Light is a fun departure from the usual Dinosaur Jr. fare from Mascis. What it lacks in consistency is more than made up for in sonic textures, diversity of style, and collaborative inspiration. While Mascis may have had the final say on the resulting work, the inclusion of Shields and Pollard make this more than just a Dinosaur Jr. album in disguise.

Ultimatum Music/2000

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sundays – Blind

 

The Sundays – Blind

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

You’ve led a moderately successful dreampop band for a few years now. You’ve gotten in the charts with a pair of successful singles and released a debut album to high critical praise. But what happens when you try to follow that album with another one? Do you create something more successful, or do you flounder?

So was the story of The Sundays in 1992. The Bristol, UK quartet cast themselves as cult favorites with the singles “Can’t Be Sure” and “Here’s Where The Story Ends.” Their debut album – 1990’s Reading, Writing and Arithmetic – established them as a group with a knack for shimmering melodies, murky basslines, and soaring vocals.

But the band had laid dormant for a few years since the release of the record. And though they had performed a few new tracks on the supporting tour in 1990, rumors began to swirl that the band had split. However, this is not all that uncommon for a young band.

Sophomore albums are a difficult task for many bands and musicians. Artists will often spend several years shaping and developing a debut record until it is perfect. But then when it comes time to record a second one – often after a long tour – inspiration dries up.

The Sundays eventually began work on a second album in 1992. As on the debut, songwriting and production duties were handled by singer Harriet Wheeler and guitarist David Gavurin. Gavurin and Wheeler – who formed the group at Bristol University – had a special connection beyond the music. They were – and still are – a married couple.

Wheeler’s immense talents as a vocalist were immediately recognizable on the band’s debut single “Can’t Be Sure” released in 1989. Her lyrics about desire causing people to lose sight of the bigger picture (“it makes the world go blind”) are given poignance by her delivery, reaching for high notes and hitting every single one.

Gavurin’s shimmering guitar playing – which combined Johnny Marr’s jangle with Robert Smith’s murkiness – was also given a great showing. Being the only guitar player in the group, Gavurin had to function somewhere between a lead and rhythm guitarist. Forming chords and playing lead melodies is no easy task. But Gavurin nailed it every time.

The lyrics also play an interesting role in The Sundays equation. Rather than using lyrics to form a coherent narrative, as Gavurin and Wheeler said on MTV’s 120 Minutes in 1990, the words were “a collection of images” and “impressionistic.”

However, not all of their lyrics stuck to this rule. Songs such as “Hideous Towns” and “I Kicked A Boy” took the impressionistic lyrical approach and wrapped them around a narrative.  “Hideous Towns” features funny one-liners about being bored in one’s hometown (“hideous towns make me throw up”).

On the other hand, “I Kicked A Boy” deals with refusing accountability in a relationship (“think about the time I kicked a boy till he cried […] I could’ve been wrong, but I don’t think I was”). Impressionistic or not, Wheeler and Gavurin’s lyrics display a common theme of avoiding discomfort.

The contrast between these lyrics, Gavurin’s bright major key melodies, and Wheeler’s sincere delivery made The Sundays the greatest masters of sardonic indiepop since The Smiths. As a creative partnership, they frequently drew comparisons to Morrissey and Marr. That’s not to say that the rhythm section wasn’t equally as important, however.

Paul Brindley’s murky, gothic basslines gave The Sundays a Cure-like ambience. Patrick "Patch" Hannan’s tight, metronomic drumming recalled Stanley Demeski’s work with The Feelies (and later Luna). With tight chemistry and a strong songwriting team, things looked to be up for The Sundays.

So, when The Sundays finally released their new album Blind in October 1992, expectations had to be high. But could the band live up to them? Would they continue their upward trajectory? Or would they cave like so many other English bands of yore?

The album opens with “I Feel.” A gentle acoustic guitar and Wheeler’s most soothing vocals to date introduce the track. It is a vast improvement over “Skin & Bones” the previous album’s opener. While there was nothing wrong with that track, it was the least melodically enchanting song on the album.

“I Feel,” however takes the experimental nature of “Skin & Bones” and marries it to a strong rising and falling melody. When Wheeler comes in at the start of the verses, she is singing in almost a whisper. But when the chorus hits, she is singing with full fire.

She also uses much more vibrato than she had on any previous track. The track seems to be made up of a series of edits, with brief pauses between sections. In this sense, it brings to mind what Fleetwood Mac did on their standout song “The Chain,” which was recorded in a similar manner.

Gavurin mostly sticks to acoustic guitar on the track. However, it does sound as though he overdubbed some electric guitar onto the choruses when the rhythm section enters. A very fine start, while remaining consistent with the band’s previous work.

The second track “Goodbye” is almost a sequel to “I Won” from the debut, both musically and lyrically – with a few more years of wisdom. Rather than expressing regret over her part in an argument, Wheeler acknowledges the end of a relationship. She goes as far as to “vow that it’s goodbye” making the relationship sound more like an addiction than a romance.

The rhythm section of Brindley and Hannan lock into a tight groove, allowing Gavurin space for one of his best murky and repetitive guitar leads. Towards the end of the track, the riff changes and Wheeler sings in a higher key, quite literally ending the song on a high note.

Elsewhere, “More” uses rain as a metaphor for sex while also addressing a relationship itself. Wheeler asks, “tell me boys are you out there?” whilst saying she’s “wet and wet through” despite wanting more. It’s a fascinating topic – a relationship that has become toxic, like an addiction – but the protagonist of the song can’t leave.

Musically, the track starts out in a murky, dreamy haze. Brindley’s reverberated bass and Hannan’s syncopated drumming come in with Wheeler’s angelic voice. But when the chorus hits, Gavurin plays a more aggressive, post-punky riff high on the neck of his guitar, which contrasts nicely with the sweetness in Wheeler’s voice.

Meanwhile, “God Made Me” is a completely different animal. The track begins with the washed out sounds of Gavurin’s guitar and Brindley’s melodic bassline. The duo become locked in perfect harmony as Hannan’s drums come in. It is over a minute until Wheeler’s voice enters, and the listener is in heaven.

Wheeler sings about “looking for an insult” and “waiting […] with a bottle in my hand.” It’s clear that she’s hiding behind a mask, but it isn’t clear yet what that mask is. It does however become clearer towards the end of the song.

In the last chorus, Wheeler sings the title, before singing “that’s what they told me before/who knows what they’re saying today?” She also sings “imagine my eyes when I first saw we can do what we want.”

This could be a doubt over the existence of God but combing these lines with earlier lyrics tell a different tale. It would appear that Wheeler is criticizing those who hide behind the mask of organized religion to justify their flaws.

Taking the song out of a religious context, it would appear to be a metaphor for hypocrisy at large. Lyrics which call work a “labor of love” compare a relationship to punching a clock. Marrying such a barbed sentiment to one of the groups most angelic melodies feels like a career peak.

Wheeler’s vocal is also one of her most skilled to date. Her use of vibrato on the lyrics “but how was I supposed to know that?” leading into the chorus give the song an added emotional resonance. This contrasts nicely with Wheeler’s reticent delivery in the verses.  

The US version of the album closes with the band’s cover of “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones. Originally a mournful country ballad, The Sundays succeed in turning it into a mournful dreampop ballad. While the original is a stone-cold classic, The Sundays still manage to make it sound like their own.

Gavurin plays acoustic guitar during the verses, and overdubs some heavily delayed lead guitar onto the choruses. Wheeler sings powerful high notes on lines where Jagger originally used the bottom of his register. Her vocal stylings put emphasis on the lyrics “make me feel bitter/Or treat you unkind” and give the chorus an angelic coo.

While the album wasn’t the critical success that The Sundays would have hoped for – it got somewhat mixed reviews upon release – time has been kind to Blind. At the time, critics negatively compared it to the debut album, stating it wasn’t enough of a progression from the former.

Although it may be true that very little is different this time around, it doesn’t detract from the listening experience. In fact, it might be an even stronger release, given Wheeler’s expanded vocal technique and the maturation in the songwriting. The Sundays may not have set the world on fire at the time, but in retrospect Blind feels like a career peak.

DGC/1992

 

 

 

 

 

Dean and Britta – Back Numbers

 

Dean and Britta – Back Numbers

By

Jesse E. Mullen

 

You’ve co-led an acclaimed group for a few years now. You’ve begun a romantic relationship. And you’ve used that relationship as inspiration for your sultry, smoky songs. Where do you go from here?

If you’re Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips, you start another group. As a musical partnership, the duo were most famous for their work in NYC-based indiepop band Luna. When Phillips joined the group, it was immediately clear that she and Wareham had a chemistry that was spellbinding.

Songs such as “Mermaid Eyes” and “Rememories” featured Phillips’ gorgeous voice prominently. But Wareham still sang all lead vocals. So, in order to create a more collaborative project, the duo started the offshoot Dean and Britta.

Their 2003 debut album L'Avventura showed a penchant for dreamy songwriting and exquisite covers, but it was a little too lightweight overall. Enter Sonic Boom. The Spacemen 3 co-leader was brought in to remix a few tracks off of L'Avventura for a special EP.

That release, 2003’s Sonic Souvenirs showed what the duo could do with a tougher, spacier backing. Boom added reverb effects to the vocals, the guitars, and his own signature style of digital-delayed analog synthesizers and keyboards.

So, when they brought Sonic Boom into the fold for an entire album, expectations must have been high. 2007’s Back Numbers was to feature Boom’s penchant for playing and arranging. But could it live up to the hype?

Opener “Singer Sing” is pure bliss, with Phillips’ voice and a rhythm machine introducing the track in modest fashion. Once Wareham’s warm voice joins in the chorus however, we’re in dream pop heaven. Phillips’ underrated bass playing also features prominently, adding a warm melodic tone that’s not always found on the instrument.

"Words You Used To Say" harks back to Luna's last days of Romantica and Rendezvous. Phillips’ warm bassline, Boom’s jittery analog synthesizers, and Wareham’s signature guitar playing introduce the track in laidback fashion.

Phillips and Wareham trade call-and-response lines over the hip, urbane soundscape. In the chorus, Wareham urges his lover to “bring it home” to him. What “it” is, one can only guess. It can be assumed, however that it is of a sexual nature.

Elsewhere, the duo’s cover of Lee Hazelwood’s “You Turned My Head Around” is equally enchanting. With Phillips on lead vocals, the track makes full use of her range and power. She is tender and cooing in the verses, but when the chorus hits, she isn’t afraid to belt it out.

Phillips was the singing voice of the cartoon character Jem from Jem and The Holograms, which had forced her to use her voice in all sorts of theatrical ways. However, the bulk of her recorded material is much more restrained. It is fun for the listener to hear Phillips expand her range, and channel some of that old energy for one of her records, albeit briefly.

For his part, Wareham turns in a haunted performance on a cover of Donovan’s “Teen Angel.” Still evoking the late-night sultry feel of Romantica, Wareham is mostly alone on the track, save for some acoustic guitar and vibraphone accompaniment.

On “White Horses,” Phillips delivers another spellbinding performance. The arrangement, combined with Phillips’ singing and the production style make the track reminiscent of one of Phil Spector’s 1960s productions.

Ironically, “The Sun Is Still Sunny” is more evocative of the music by Spiritualized than the work of Sonic Boom. (Spiritualized is led by Boom’s ex bandmate Spacemen 3 Jason Pierce.) In fact, Spiritualized would later use a very similar melody set to a waltz on the 2018 track “A Perfect Miracle.”

A swelling string arrangement, and gorgeous harmony between Phillips and Wareham bring the chorus to a higher level. On an album full of highlights, the track still manages to standout as a cut above the rest. Very impressive, considering the quality of the material.

The album closes with the gorgeous “Our Love Will Still Be There.” Originally by the 1960s garage rock group The Troggs, Wareham and Phillips take the track dreamy minimalist territory. With electric piano, washes of gentle synthesizers, and unison vocals, it is an absolute joy to the ears. When Wareham and Phillips sing the title phrase in harmony, we believe them.

While side projects are usually fun as curios, they rarely do anything essential. There are, however, a few exceptions to that rule. With Back Numbers, Dean and Britta successfully capture the hazy warmth of a relationship given new life.

Zoë Records/2007