In Brief

J Mascis, the Thomas Edison of post-punk, rips to shreds all those most-likely-to-retire ballots that have been piling up, delivering his best album since 1991’s “Green Mind.” The singer’s high-pitched mumble remains nearly impossible to decipher, but his sprawling, gargantuan guitar makes up for that. Though mental health is his thematic preoccupation, this album might silence the critics who were wondering about his. Dinosaur Jr. plays the Roxy on May 29.

*

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four (excellent).

Hear the Music

* Excerpts from these albums and other recent releases are available on The Times’ World Wide Web site. Point your browser to: https:/ /www.latimes.com/soundclips