| What Do We Do Now | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | February 2, 2024 | |||
| Length | 44:35 | |||
| Label | Sub Pop | |||
| Producer | J Mascis | |||
| J Mascis chronology | ||||
| ||||
What Do We Do Now is the fourth solo studio album by Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis, released through Sub Pop on February 2, 2024. It received acclaim from critics.
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 74/100 [1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| The Line of Best Fit | 6/10 [3] |
| Pitchfork | 6.4/10 [4] |
| Mojo | [5] |
| Uncut | 8/10 [6] |
What Do We Do Now received a score of 74 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on 15 critics' reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reception. [1] Mojo called it "an LP of insight and empathy", [5] while Uncut felt that "the result is Mascis's most fully formed and direct solo set to date". [6] Fred Thomas of AllMusic called it "a little different" from Mascis's output with Dinosaur Jr., as "here the drums are blasting away at full force, the tempos are lively, and heavily distorted guitar solos beam in from outer space in a way Mascis has made his own since the days of Bug ". [2]
The Quietus ' Robert Barry remarked that while the "kind of wild scree that once characterised Dinosaur Jr records is largely gone now", he still found the album to be "a record of beautifully put-together songs played on an acoustic guitar then beefed up by a band". [7] Greg Hyde of The Line of Best Fit wrote that What Do We Do Now "has some interesting moments on its first side, but quite a bit of it does feel leaden and lacking in energy". [3]
Evan Rytlewski of Pitchfork stated that if the album is "less satisfying than Mascis' previous solo releases, it's because it has less to reveal. Mascis has written so many songs about the same needs and frustrations—his failures to communicate, to be understood, and ultimately accepted—that they can't help but bleed together". [4]
All tracks are written by J Mascis
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Can't Believe We're Here" | 3:58 |
| 2. | "What Do We Do Now" | 5:00 |
| 3. | "Right Behind You" | 4:20 |
| 4. | "You Don't Understand Me" | 3:50 |
| 5. | "I Can't Find You" | 4:24 |
| 6. | "Old Friends" | 4:13 |
| 7. | "It's True" | 5:16 |
| 8. | "Set Me Down" | 3:53 |
| 9. | "Hangin Out" | 4:53 |
| 10. | "End Is Gettin Shaky" | 4:48 |
| Total length: | 44:35 | |
Musicians
Production
Creative
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [8] | 37 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [9] | 6 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC) [10] | 31 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) [11] | 6 |
Last Splash is the second album by American alternative rock band the Breeders, released on August 30, 1993. Originally formed as a side project for Pixies bassist Kim Deal, the Breeders quickly became her primary recording outlet. Last Splash peaked at number 33 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, and by June 1994, the album had been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments in excess of one million units.
Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, the band was forced to change their name due to legal issues.
Sebadoh is an American indie rock band formed in 1986 in Northampton, Massachusetts, by Eric Gaffney and Lou Barlow, with multi-instrumentalist Jason Loewenstein completing the line-up in 1989. Barlow co-created Sebadoh as an outlet for his songwriting when J. Mascis gradually took over creative control of Dinosaur Jr., in which Barlow plays bass guitar.
Joseph Donald Mascis Jr., better known as J Mascis, is an American musician who is the singer, guitarist and main songwriter for the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. He has also released several albums as a solo artist and played drums and guitar on other projects. He was ranked number 74 in a Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists", and number 5 in a similar list for Spin magazine in 2012.
Where You Been is the fifth official studio album by Dinosaur Jr., released on February 9, 1993.
You're Living All Over Me is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. It was released on December 14, 1987, through SST Records.
Green Mind is the fourth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released in 1991. It was the band's first release after bassist Lou Barlow's departure, as well as the first released by a major label. The record is close to being a J Mascis solo album: he played most of the instruments, with founding drummer Murph only featuring on three tracks.
Without a Sound is the sixth studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released on August 23, 1994. It is the first Dinosaur Jr. album not to feature Murph on drums, who is replaced by vocalist and guitarist J Mascis. It is also their most commercially successful album, peaking at number 44 on the Billboard Top 200. "Feel the Pain" and "I Don't Think So" were released as singles, with "Feel the Pain" reaching number 4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, becoming one of their biggest hits. Mascis later admitted that his father's death affected his writing and performance on this album, and he took three years to deliver the next Dinosaur Jr. LP, 1997's Hand It Over.
Bug is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released in October 1988 through SST Records. Blast First and Au Go Go Records released the album in the United Kingdom and Australia, respectively. It was the last Dinosaur Jr. album with original bassist Lou Barlow until Beyond in 2007.
"Cortez the Killer" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Neil Young from his 1975 album, Zuma. It was recorded with the band Crazy Horse. It has since been ranked No. 39 on Guitar World's 100 Greatest Guitar Solos and No. 329 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
"Just Like Heaven" is a song by British alternative rock band the Cure. The group wrote most of the song during recording sessions in southern France in 1987. The lyrics were written by their frontman Robert Smith, who drew inspiration from a past trip to the sea shore with his future wife. Smith's memories of the trip formed the basis for the song's accompanying music video. Before Smith had completed the lyrics, an instrumental version of the song was used as the theme for the French television show Les Enfants du Rock.
"Start Choppin" is a song by Dinosaur Jr. written by J Mascis and taken from their fifth album Where You Been. Created after Mascis came up with the title phrase, the song was accompanied by a music video that aired on alternative rock music programs.
Farm is the ninth studio album by American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. It is the band's first release on the record label Jagjaguwar.
"The Wagon" is a song by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., released on their 1991 album Green Mind. Featuring lyrics inspired by the band's use of station wagons for transportation in its early days, the song was written by J Mascis and was one of the three songs on Green Mind to include drummer Murph.
"Freak Scene" is a song by American alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr., the opening track on the group's third studio album Bug (1988). Written and produced by frontman J Mascis, the song was recorded at Fort Apache Studios by engineers Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade. "Freak Scene" was released as a single on SST Records in the United States and was also Dinosaur Jr.'s first release on Blast First in the United Kingdom. The band also made a music video to promote the single.
I Bet on Sky is the tenth studio album by the alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. It was announced on June 13, 2012, and was released on September 17 in Europe and September 18 in the US. "Watch the Corners" was given a music video and promoted via a free mp3.
Tied to a Star is the second solo studio album by Dinosaur Jr. frontman J Mascis. It was released on August 24, 2014, under Sub Pop Records.
Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not is the eleventh studio album by alternative rock band Dinosaur Jr. It was announced on May 24 and was released on August 5, 2016. The music video for first single "Tiny" was released on June 20. The second single, "Goin Down", was released on July 27. The name of the album is taken from the line of the "Knocked Around" lyrics.
"Out There" is a song by Dinosaur Jr. written by J Mascis and taken from their 1993 album Where You Been. Notable for its guitar solo and use of chimes, "Out There" was a moderate alternative radio success in the US. Released as a single in Europe, "Out There" charted at number 44 in the UK. The song has since been praised by critics as a highlight of Where You Been.
Once Twice Melody is the eighth studio album by the American dream pop duo Beach House, released on February 18, 2022. It is a double album of 18 songs, presented in four chapters.
