J Mascis & The Fog: More Light

(Shock)

Herald rating: * * * *

Review: Russell Baillie

He dropped his band-as-vehicle Dinosaur Jr a few increasingly limp years back. But here J Mascis - one of the few truly great guitarists of the Nirvana generation - sounds quite revived in solo mode.

True, it can still sound like his singing voice needs another pillow and a bit of a lie-down to get through the next track.

But the songs are consistently good here right from the get-go when this kicks into life on the fuzz-storm opening of Same Day (featuring the first of three vocal guest spots by Guided By Voice's Bob Pollard) then straight into the sleepy pop charms of Waistin, and Where'd You Go with its Ziggy Stardust/ Mick Ronson riffery and skyscraping solo.

The presence of My Bloody Valentine's Kevin Shields as player and producer would suggest something sonically experimental afoot. However, the likes of Back Before You Go, and Ground Me To You and the chugging I'm Not Fine could be Foo Fighters pop-rock.

However, it does hit the overload switch end on the final and title track, by which time Mascis has already delivered a wee ripper of an album.