I find it hard sometimes to match the J Mascis voice to the current J Mascis look. This is in part, I think, because ol’ Mascis looks exactly the same yet completely different. And by different I mean he looks old, which is, of course, because he is old—or at least older than before, just like me.

So I listen to J Mascis now, and that voice carries me right back to the first time I heard him sing, and suddenly I’m not pushing 40 and worrying about getting to bed before I drink too much—I’m pushing 20 and worrying about how I’m gonna get my hands on enough to drink before I go to bed. Sometimes I don’t know how to balance my past against my present, and I think this has something to do with the fact that, when I hear myself think, I sound to me like the same young, dumb motherfucker I was way back when, but when I look in the mirror, I see someone much older (but no less dumb).

I had a similar cognitive disconnect while listening to the latest J Mascis song, “Is It Done,” from his forthcoming lp, Several Shades of Why, and looking at press photos of the man and his flowing, thinning grey locks of hair.

Anyway, the point, maybe, is that this shit takes me right back to some specific period of my life in a completely effortless way. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing—maybe it’s several shades of both. Whatever it is in that regard, it’s a testament to the power of Mascis and his music. Whether cranking it up to 11 and blowing the speakers with wild and winding guitar solos as the leader of Dinosaur Jr., or keeping it mellow and folky as a solo act, the dude always does it with his affecting and immediate yet easy going style of writing and playing—and, of course, there’s that voice.

And dig that album art–that’s a wall-hanger! Also, there’s a good amount of cool folks who join Mascis on the album, including Kurt Vile, Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), and Ben Bridwell (Band of Horses). That’s Bridwell backing up Mascis on vocals on “Is It Done”.

Several Shades of Why is out March 15 via Sub Pop. Check it out here.

J Mascis – Is It Done

J Mascis is set to hit the road in support of the album (with Kurt Vile and then Black Heart Procession supporting!). Catch him live if you can…

03/10. Ithaca, NY. Castaways
03/11. Toronto, Ontario. The Great Hall
03/22. Brattleboro, MA. Headroom Stages
03/23. Philadelphia, PA. World Cafe Live
03/24. New York, NY. The Mercury Lounge
03/25. Brooklyn, NY. Music Hall of Williamsburg
03/26. Boston, MA. Brighton Music Hall
03/30. Cleveland Heights, OH. Grog Shop
03/31. Ann Arbor, MI. Blind Pig
04/01. Chicago, IL. Subterranean
04/02. Minneapolis, MN. 7th Street Entry
04/07. Atlanta, GA. The Earl
04/08. Athens, GA. The Melting Point
04/09. Asheville, NC. The Grey Eagle
04/10. Carrboro, NC. Cat’s Cradle
04/29. Seattle, WA. Tractor Tavern
04/30. Portland, OR. Dante’s
05/03. Santa Cruz, CA. Crepe Place
05/04. San Francisco, CA. The Independent
05/05. Long Beach, CA. Alex’s Bar
05/06. Echo Park, CA. Echo
05/07. San Diego, CA. The Casbah