Alt-rock heroes Dinosaur Jr. announced last week that they’ll release another new album from their excellent and hard-to-believe-this-is-still-a-thing Act II, their fourth LP since reuniting in 2005. Based on punchy teaser single “Tiny,” it seems a fair bet that Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not will provide more of the same consistent tunes as their last three albums.
“Tiny” more or less adheres to a patented formula of “set the scene -> slow it down -> slam a solo -> blast the chorus -> bring back the shred (via guitar fills on top of the outro).” There are countless Dinosaur Jr. songs that follow this exact framework (“Freak Scene,” “Whatever’s Cool with Me,” “Been There All The Time”), to an almost Ramones-ian fashion. The key to this formula’s success lies in leader J Mascis’ guitar. Not just the notes he plays, or the technical skill he shows, but the actual sound of the guitar—a thick, distorted blast of melodic skronk so vibrant and distinct, it feels almost like voice of its own. There are countless great guitarists, but there’s an argument to be made that J Mascis has one of the most uniquely identifiable guitar tones going.
Mascis’ guitar has the ability to dominate not only his own songs, but any song it shows up on. This point first became clear to me in 2006 when I heard the Lemonheads’ comeback single “No Backbone,” where an unmistakably Mascisian intro sets the scene for Evan Dando and co. His guest appearances on guitar have been numerous, especially in the last decade, with around 50 or so instances spanning the initial crest of Dinosaur Jr.’s visibility to today. Many of these have been concentrated in recordings with some of his closest musical buddies—Sonic Youth members, Mike Watt, Gumball’s Don Fleming, MV & EE’s Matt Valentine—but others are seemingly just one-offs, drop-ins Just Because. With 50+ tracks, I can’t cover everything, but here’s a sampling of 15 of the most noteworthy, plus a big playlist of nearly all of them at the end.
Note: Not included here are any of Mascis’ solo work or his other bands (Deep Wound, Witch, Heavy Blanket, etc.), or any of his numerous guest appearances via vocals, drums, or even banjo. Just the guitar jams. Enjoy.
Sonic Youth — “Master=Dik (EP version)” (1987)
”Master=Dik” is a super weird Sonic Youth song, a kind of like a dinky Ministry-by-Casiotone throw-away. This version, taken from an eponymous post-Sister EP, is similar to the original on Sister but more clattering and experimental, and features Mascis in his very first guest appearance. Unlike the rest of the tracks spotlighted on this list, the playing isn’t very “J” at all and is basically just wild, screeching guitar—not the golden-toned stamp he’d affix going forward. Mascis would follow “Master=Dik” a year later with an appearance on the band’s forgettable Ciccone Youth curiosity album as the first two of many collaborations with SY’s three principal songwriters.
See also: Ciccone Youth’s “Two Cool Chicks Listening to Neu”
Buffalo Tom — “Impossible” (1989)
A once name-checked group now lost to rock history, Buffalo Tom were like Dinosaur Jr. circa 1988: an up-and-coming “college rock” band from Massachusetts, who recorded at the same famed Fort Apache studio where DJ made Bug. “Impossible,” from their first record, was Mascis’ next guest appearance and is his first “J steals the show” moment, where an already fully-formed J-tone launches, takes over a song and makes it memorable.
Gumball — “Here It Comes Again” (1993)
Gumball is another somewhat forgotten (albeit more significant) early ‘90s alt-rock band, whose leader Don Fleming has worked with Mascis many times. Their third collaboration, “Here It Comes Again,” burns from the start with a searing Mascis intro riff; the tone, coupled with Fleming’s sweet double-tracked vocals, sounds almost like Dinosaur Jr. meets the Stone Roses. Fleming went on to become more well-known as a producer, overseeing classic records by Teenage Fanclub, Hole, Sonic Youth, Screaming Trees, and more.
See also: Gumball’s “New Rose,” “Depression,” and “Upsetters Theme Song”
Mike Watt — “Maggot Brain” (1995)
On one hand, this cover of Parliament’s legendary original seems to make a lot of sense for Mascis, but in a way it’s almost too on the nose for him. J is at his best when his soaring melodic leads catch you by surprise, when that unexpected combination of melody and fuzz-tone hits you in the gut; here on 12-minute version of a song that’s more or less a “better than Hendrix” argument for Parliament’s Eddie Hazel, Mascis just sounds like yet another (great) guitarist trying to shred. Mascis also performs on three other tracks from Watt’s Ball-Hog or Tugboat, as well as other Watt releases.
See also: fIREHOSE’s “Formal Introduction,” “Blaze,” and “Quicksand”; Mike Watt’s “Big Train” and “Max and Wells”
Beachwood Sparks — “Yer Selfish Ways” (2001)
One of two tracks from Beachwood Sparks’ Once We Were Trees on which Mascis guests, “Yer Selfish Ways” shows how the Mascis sound would work on a Byrds-y alt-country tune. Despite the Dinosaur Jr. cover of Flying Burrito Brother’s “Hot Burrito #2”, country is outside of J’s wheelhouse, but “Yer Selfish Ways” is a wonderful marriage of both worlds, beginning nicely before he again takes over the song toward the end.
See also: Beachwood Sparks’ “Juggler’s Revenge”
Cobra Verde — “Throw It Away” (2003)
The first of a few collaborations with Cobra Verde leader John Petkovic, Mascis joined the Cleveland glam-rockers as guest guitarist for their entire fifth album, 2003’s Easy Listening. The songs are mostly showy, arena-ready rock songs, but to Mascis’ credit, he plays this style well while still asserting himself with his subtler signature flourishes. On the ballad “Throw It Away,” Mascis buries himself below the surface before blasting away with a trademark solo three minutes in that carries the song to its climax. Mascis later reprised his role as guitar foil on records by the Petkovic-helmed band Sweet Apple.
See also: Cobra Verde’s “Modified Frankenstein” and “Whores”; Sweet Apple’s “Do You Remember” and “Boys in Her Fanclub”
Mark Mulcahy— “Propstar” (2005)
In Pursuit of Your Happiness, the 2005 album from former Miracle Legion leader and creator of the beloved theme song to cult-classic TV show “The Adventures of Pete and Pete,” features four guest spots by Mascis on guitar, the most demonstrative of which is this one. A fun and bopping track that summons “Hey Sandy” nostalgia, you could easily imagine “Propstar” as the theme to like, “How I Met Your Mother” until Mascis lays in late with a brief but effective solo.
See also: Mulcahy’s “I Have Patience,” “A Smack on the Lips,” “Nothing But a Silver Medal”
Kevin Drew — “Backed Out On The…” (2007)
Broken Social Scene’s “Cause=Time” felt like a clear Dinosaur Jr. homage, from the guitar riffs in the song’s mid-section to singer Kevin Drew’s vocals, which sound like a more polished version of J’s slacker hush. So it makes sense that Mascis sounds so perfectly at home with BSS leader Kevin Drew’s songwriting and recording aesthetic, here on a cut from Drew’s first solo record, Spirit If... “Back Out On The…” is not only the best song on the album, it’s an instantly addictive listen.
Thurston Moore — “Wonderful Witches” (2007)
This is one of a number of Mascis appearances on solo records by Sonic Youth members, with Mascis guesting on four songs from Moore’s second solo album, Trees Outside the Academy. Because of Moore’s own distinctive presence as a guitarist, Mascis’ contributions stand mostly as a electric counterpoint to the serenity that Moore’s largely acoustic playing provides.
See also: Thurston Moore’s “Frozen Gtr,” “Shape In in a Trance,” and “Trees Outside the Academy”; Free Kitten (Kim Gordon)’s “Surf’s Up”;Lee Ranaldo Band’s “Albatross” (Fleetwood Mac cover)
Mondo Fumatore — “Yeah Yeah Yeah” (2008)
I have no idea how J Mascis ended up on this brief but excellent pop cut by this unknown German band, but this Superchunk-y song is awesome and J’s contribution is perfect, first layering in increasingly louder electric rhythm riffs as the song builds before exploding in with his solo. Sadly, it’s not on Spotify so you’ll have to live with this YouTube link.
MV & EE — “Wandering Nomad” (2009)
MV & EE are Matt Valentine and Erika Elder, purveyors of weird space-folk and residents of the Amherst-North Hampton community where both Mascis and Thurston Moore have homes. Perhaps it’s due to the convenience more than anything else, but at this point Mascis has appeared on eight MV releases, more than with any of other artist. His first appearance was playing mellotron on the wonderful freak-skronk “East Mountain Joint” from 2006’s Green Blues, but on 2009’s Barn Nova he guests on guitar for the entire record. “Wandering Nomad” is the highlight of Mascis’ involvement, in a Neil Young-inspired backyard jam that goes nowhere it doesn’t need to be.
See also:“Get Right Church” and “Summer Magic”
Jeffrey Lewis — “Good Ole Pig, Gone to Avalon” (2009)
Similar to the Beachwood Sparks songs, this tune with polarizing anti-folk artist Jeffrey Lewis feels unexpected, as Lewis’ music is nothing like the rest of the collaborators on this list. And yet, Mascis doing Mascis manages to fit the song perfectly.
Boston Spaceships — “Tourist UFO” (2011)
Boston Spaceships are yet another band from the most prolific man in rock’n’roll, Guided By Voices’ Bob Pollard. That he and Mascis, two pillars of ‘90s indie still alive and kicking, finally decided to join up feels like a nice gathering of the vibes. Unfortunately “Tourist UFO” falls into the category of “extraneous Pollard expulsions,” with tepid songwriting surrounding what's actually a beautifully dulcet Mascis solo.
Pink Mountaintops — “Through All the Worry” (2014)
Stephen McBean tends to enlist collaborators for his Pink Mountaintops side project, and Mascis fits right in as a solid choice on this divisive record of ‘80s classicist revivalism. It’s unclear how many of the tracks Mascis played on, but his stamp is all over “Through All the Worry” and “Shakedown.” The former pairs Cure synths with a Mascis solo, recalling the classic Dinosaur Jr. cover of “Just Like Heaven.” McBean and Mascis’ latter collaboration, an Echo & The Bunnymen-esque rip, is just as good.
See also:“Shakedown”
Strand of Oaks — “Goshen 97” (2014)
In the same way that he drove the Lemonheads’ “No Backbone,” Mascis’ appearance on Strand of Oaks’ memorable 2014 single was something wonderfully unexpected. One listen to the Mascis-less live acoustic version of “Goshen 97” tells you everything you need to know: Without Mascis, it’s a good song—but not a great one.