Song of the Day 1/16: Dinosaur Jr., “Start Choppin'”

I have learned over the years that J. Mascis is an acquired taste that a lot of people failed to acquire, but this breakup song comes as close to mass appeal as he ever got. It delivers power-trio punch highlighted by Mascis’ searing solos in a song that’s as melodic as anything he ever wrote.

Many critics consider Mascis a godfather of grunge, and many compare him to Neil Young because his voice, though deeper than Young’s, has some of the same quavering quality, and his guitar solos, like Young’s, are full of surprising runs and sometimes have a tenuous relationship with the song’s time signature. Mascis doesn’t like the comparison, but he’s such a big Neil Young fan he once postponed his own concert in Berlin so he could catch Young’s.