Dig it: In my previous post’s comments section, a debate rages about J Mascis and Evan Dando’s new Lemonheads’ single, “No Backbone.”
What can I say? It’s raining out.
While I enjoy Mr. Mascis’s work up through Green Mind, after which he lost his way and mind, I feel his soloing through Mr. Dando’s new tune is akin to any notable guitarist phoning in a riff they could lay down in one take without writing anything worth remembering. Some people would argue that Mascis’s distinct style would be enough. Yet that makes me metaphor: Jack Nicholson is a great actor when he plays a certain type of guy, but Daniel Day Lewis can do anything and make you forget he’s there. I want more Day from mascis, less Nicholson.
Although I usually don’t mind knowing Mascis is there, but he left me limp this time – if he doesn’t do anything new, why listen to this track when I can simply go back and enjoy “The Wagon” or “The Lung”? This riff is from Mascis 2.0, the android who made records after Green Mind. Dando’s a more interesting guitarist than Mascis 2.0.
It’s like hearing the Traveling Wilburys when I was a teenager. I knew right away it was old fart garbage. Older fans, real Beatles, Orbison, and Dylan fans (Petty made one album, his greatest hits, and ceases to exist for me otherwise) from those artists’ true heydays, must have been nauseous when they first heard the Wilburys. But half probably weren’t. I’m worried that Dando and Mascis may be ruined for 20 years for today’s younger fans. The Wilburys did it for me.
This is real Lemonheads:
And this is realer Lemonheads than Lemonheads, and we get this track thanks to Rich Girls Are Weeping, who reminded us, by posting it a few days ago, that we had allowed it to languish in our posession for months:
What Made Milwakee Famous – Around the Gills
The opening is pure Mascis, but the song leaves it behind for more — I love the Built to Spill-like breakdown 2/3 through, love the Cheap Trick choral flourishes, love the Squirrel Bait propulsion and joy. I hope they didn’t pack their entire career into one song – other stuff I’ve heard, thus far, left me nonplussed.
And my final posted track appears in reaction to all us stupid grownups arguing about nothing important:
Jens Lekman – Rocky Dennis’ Farewell Song
There are few moments of better lugubrious hilarity than when Lekman has his Stoltz-like narrator sing “Blind girl I miss you …” toward the end. I bet Billy Bob never mourned Laura Dern like Rocky Dennis. Prick …
Stop Loving Everything 
Around the Gills sounds like Ride trying to sound like Teenage Fanclub trying to sound like Echo and The Bunnymen trying to sound like The Wake or any other Sarah bomping band trying to sound like J. Masic. Point beeing, J. does have a sound and trying to sound like J. Masic is like Stevie Ray Vaugn trying to sound like Hendrix. So obvious it hurst. I am embarrassesd for these Milwalkee boys. Not a fresh hair on their head. Again, J. squaking with Dando is a hired gun in the right place.
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Ride? Don’t hear it. Echo & bunnymen? Don’t hear it. The Wake? Useless, but maybe. Sarah? A label so overrated I can’t begin; time to let them go. Now, I hate Eric Clapton, but people forget Hendrix was trying to sound like Clapton. Hendrix was just the better guitarist of the two, and added some parlour tricks to the game. Otherwise, I prefer Hendrix’s work with Little Richard, i.e. when he was a real guitarist. In other words, there’s nothing without influence or precedent. It’s only our duty to separate the truly influenced from the ripoffs. Mascis does wonders with his Neil Young influence. Not a ripoff. Meat Puppets? They could sue. The best thing about What Made Milwaukee Famous (next time check their link – they’re from Austin), at least on this track – they play the J and then abandon it. On No Backbone, Mascis doesn’t know when to shut up. Probably the very reason Lou left the band. J Mascis & Evan Dando = Indie Traveling Wilburys
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I didn’t know that it was J Mascis on the new single but quickly recognised the style and thought that he had either guested or someone was ripping his style off big time.It made me smile. I love Dinosaur Jr and I reckon they went downhill after “Where You Been” but the guitar that came through the speakers on the new Lemonheads lifted my spirit.Also, to have two of my indie heroes united on a song can never be a bad thing
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Bottom line for me: Dando and Masic put out a good song that I know will get some time in my ipod. Jens Lekman – no ipod time. Milwaukee boys, no ipod time. I simply do not accept any of the negative comments about Mascis’ playing on the new single because I enjoy it and listen to it. Washed up, regurgitated playing, not when have one song to listen to as you shave and choose that one.
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First problem: Ipod. Second problem: bad typing. What does <>washed up, regurgitated playing, not when have one song to listen to as you shave and choose that one<> mean? Did you have a stroke while you were writing? Get that looked at. It might be cancer.Ok, I listened to it again. Now I can truly say that Mascis’s guitar playing on that single sounds like Skynryd. Like Greg Allman. Like Andy Taylor. Like Eddie Van Halen on “Panama.” In fact, same tone. Same guitar maybe. Kill yr idols.
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Actually, you’re both wrong — it’s “iPod.”
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Do we not capitalize following a colon?
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I wonder how long Anon’s been shaving?
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1) I never liked the Lemonheads to begin with.2) Don’t tell anyone I said this, but if WMMF had gone the direction of ‘Around The Gills,’ I’d love them even more. I love them enough now, but that would make them mostly perfect.
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