News of a new record from J Mascis - the well-loved, bespectacled, silver-haired, magical-seeming, wizard-like figure of independent music - is not only actual music to our ears but figurative music to our ears. Tied to a Star is the follow up to his acclaimed Sub Pop debut Several Shades of Why. The acoustic album, led by the songs “Every Morning” and “Wide Awake,” was recorded and produced by Mascis and mixed by John Agnello at Bisquiteen in Amherst, MA and features guest appearances by Ken Maiuri, Pall Jenkins, Mark Mulcahy and Chan Marshall.

"It makes perfect sense that I was asked to write a bio for J Mascis. Let’s face it, he and I have a long history. It all started the first time I saw him live. It was in New York City. I don’t remember when or where, but I think he was walking around. I was probably walking around, too. The second time was also in New York, at a Mexican restaurant in the East Village (the one that takes credit cards now, but didn’t used to). Years later I actually met him at the SXSW festival though a friend who works at Sub Pop. 

"I guess that meeting went well, because when that friend from Sub Pop got married, she sat me at the same table as J. Sounds unbelievable? I suggest you look at the picture below. Now keep staring at that picture until August 26th. That’s when J’s new acoustic album Tied to a Star comes out on Sub Pop Records. It features appearances by Ken Maiuri (Young@Heart Chorus), Pall Jenkins (Black Heart Procession), Mark Mulcahy (Miracle Legion) and Chan Marshall (Cat Power). Had I been in the area, I’m sure I would’ve been asked to play on it, too." - comedian Todd Barry

1.  Me Again

2.  Every Morning

3.  Heal the Star

4.  Wide Awake

5.  Stumble

6.  And Then

7.  Drifter

8.  Trailing Off

9.  Come Down

10. Better Plane