J Mascis + The Fog
Free so Free

LA RECENSIONE

"Free so Free" is the title of the new album by J Mascis + The Fog. The feeling you get from the very first listen is that while the names and titles may change, the music remains the same, great as always, from Dinosaur Jr. And in the end, for those who love this genre, that's all that matters. And "Free so Free" seems just like a surrogate of the latest release from Dinosaur, "Without a Sound." "Freedom," the first track, and "Set us Free," the third, are in this sense the most representative tracks, but the other 8 pieces will not disappoint nostalgic fans of the indie-grunge of Dinosaur Jr. The usual great album by Mascis that will keep us company on the sad and stormy autumn days, refreshing our memories and taking us back to the late eighties and early nineties, when he managed to bring his music to the general public despite always moving in the shadows of the great Grunge groups like the Nirvana, Soundgarden, or Pearl Jam. Well, unlike all the other bands (excluding Pearl Jam and Bush, which still exist, albeit in vain pursuing the success of those years), J Mascis is the last dinosaur of Grunge left in circulation and capable of brushing off this genre with enviable consistency and pleasure even in the new millennium. Compared to the previous "More Light," this work seems more complete and mature, less wild and rebellious, since, after the first songs in perfect "Dinosaur" style, starting from track no. 5, "Free so Free," more and more acoustic sounds emerge, partly enriched also by orchestral instruments like the piano or the flute. In some ways, one could almost interpret the album as a definitive farewell from Mascis to his ultradistorted guitars, to his historical grunge, to present himself in the future more as an alternative songwriter in a more acoustic guise: his sporadic appearances and unplugged nights in European capitals would confirm this. But more than a certain premonition, it remains a personal sensation, which I, moreover, hope does not come true, because just as you start getting used to the softer sounds, the virtuosic and shocking solo or the distortions of old times arrive punctually. What is certain is that "Free so Free" will not disappoint the expectations of the audience faithful to the brilliant music of J Mascis and Grunge in general! The right musical response to the various post-grunge imitations like Puddle of Mudd & Co. djd