I have always been a sucker for J Mascis—his songs with Dinosaur Jr overflow with hooks, distortion and blistering guitar solos. Mascis' first studio album under his own name, Several Shades of Why, is a primarily acoustic effort and, unfortunately, a forgettable listen. In a refreshing twist, Kurt Vile, who takes inspiration from Mascis and will be opening his US tour this spring, outshines him on his latest album (and most stripped-down to date), Smoke Ring for My Halo.
 
J Mascis' songwriting remains distinctively his own on Several Shades of Why, his first solo album recorded in a studio (previously, Martin + Me and Live at CBGB's were recorded at live shows). He also forgoes Dinosaur Jr band mates Lou Barlow and Murph for a rotating cast of collaborators, among them Sophie Trudeau (A Silver Mt. Zion), Pall Jenkins (The Black Heart Procession), Matt Valentine and Kurt Vile. Mascis' knack for writing immediately classic-sounding hooks is intact—this set of ten solo songs is enjoyable, at least initially, because Mascis knows how to turn out a pleasant, familiar-sounding tune.
As with any musician with a recognizable style, Mascis walks a fine line: finding a new spin on his formula versus retreading his old habits. On Several Shades of Why, Mascis leans toward the latter, not diverging noticeably from his songwriting method; rather, he just scales back the instrumentation. Of course, had Mascis not switched off his effects pedals and cranked down the volume, these might as well be Dinosaur Jr songs. Granted, there's no fuzzy distortion for the tunes to hide behind, and Mascis' guitar solos are spread thinly; when they strike on occasion (as on "Make It Right"), they feel less like a searing-hot cauldron of water than a familiar childhood blanket. The appeal of Several Shades of Why, then, is also its downfall: Mascis is good at what he does, but I've heard him play these songs more convincingly before—this album is nothing new.
Perhaps part of the reason I find Kurt Vile's Smoke Ring for My Halo so much more vital and engaging is that I am approaching his work for the first time. This is Vile's fourth collection of songs, but the first one I've given a close ear—oftentimes, that sense of discovery can elevate music to a higher plane. Regardless, this is a strong album from Vile—ten spacious, endearing songs carved out of the American singer/songwriter tradition by a young man filled with talent, hopefully with a fruitful career yet ahead of him.
The songwriting on Smoke Ring for My Halo is more varied, and less overtly familiar, than on Mascis' album. Vile switches off between deft acoustic finger-picking ("Baby's Arms"), classic American guitar rock ("Puppet to the Man") and stoned, sprawled-out jams ("Society Is My Friend") with ease. The instrumentation on most of these songs is sparse, the production intimate; each strum of Vile's guitar and slide of his fingers across the frets is captured like a firefly in a jar, allowed to flit about and light up its surroundings. Vile's lyrics sound casually tossed-off in a good way, never overthought, and are complementary to his guitar playing, capturing the same sense of weary resignation that Mascis has perfected over the years. In fact, listened to side-by-side, Smoke Ring for My Halo is not worlds away from Several Shades of Why—like Mascis, Vile has a pleasant, smoky depth to his voice and an ability to convey his emotions through his distinctive guitar playing. I've enjoyed playing both records, but if allowed a slot for only one on my shelf, I would choose Smoke Ring for My Halo—it has proven itself a comfortable, low-key soundtrack as winter turns to spring.
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