J Mascis’ new solo album, What Do We Do Now?, really seems to be a California-folk-scene release based on a promise or a premise of lifestyles in suburbia, but firmly rooted in “counter-culture”, and moreover embracing the chaos of grinding down a stoned existence to its sound; even moreover it is more essentially scenic than a scene release perhaps, as it is spiritual. To “get me by” (Mascis’ Better Plane lyric) or get me free-er than thou, though, free is relativistic generally, to accept or realize what feels freeing is freeing, it is just how does one maintain apothecaries weight in a context of pre-released from this record, singles “Set Me Down” (QRO review) or “Can’t Believe We’re Finally Here” (QRO review), because one can always see the jarring nature of social obligations generally make freeing oneself in spirit very painful in the least, and seemingly impossibly hard to the sideways nature of physical worlds,
Then, these mentioned tracks of sappy, sentimental tones just to meet some somber, psychedelic, pain; hopefully, and fit us to a landscape of really rough folk these days jut to take that California-folk-scene, rather than the scenic in Mascis’ recently folksy tendencies. This is fine, as a California-folk-scene is bright and mostly, insert any ‘festival/jam’ bands really take to that side of an apothecaries weight, where they could embrace the dangerous zones of existence instead, California-‘Desert’-rock and California-folk always will be artsy, ritual, pop-rock, and influenced by what the recent media trends towards; it’s just some albums are greater in scope or ambition, and the best type of album of any scope focuses on spirits.
Then beginning with the ending track, a really good example of the thoroughness of spirit through What Do We Do Now?, “End is Getting Shaky” may seem like it has been seen or heard as it were before, but these rhythms are emotional and therefore welcome in this instance anyways. From opening single, scenic, “Can’t Believe We’re Finally Here” to matching, “Old Friends”, You Don’t Understand Me”, and lesser “Right Behind You”, it is all emotionally wrenching, in the way the best Dinosaur Jr. records are.
Some solos are altered because of the acoustic album theme, but overall, the release is fitting for acoustics, and scenic because of the acoustics, is a great way to be, just hard to see for some non-alt-music types.
This record takes the title track, “What Do We Do Now?”, great single “Set Me Down”, middle-ground, “Old Friends”, hill-rolling, “Can’t Believe We’re Finally Here”, and finisher “End is Getting Shaky”, to create a nice, cautious, but must be seen as a wondering, wandering album for one purpose, answers. Where answers are found really, almost never given, though they are really intimate and scenic when found finally.
Bringing one to the final tracks and thoughts, “I Can’t Find You”, “It’s True”, and “Hanging Out” probably epitomize this release, mostly in the instrumental vibing thing which is why it’s so scenic, whether that is good, is up to the listeners feeling and the mood-setting, as it is a thematic album; generally, the answer is going to be yes here. Though, as mentioned, What Do We Do Now as is, probes, it is thematic, scenic, and looking for answers, and finally, there’s a place the listener can hopefully enjoy this, and it’s probable people do. So, then, What Do We Do Now?
