Mason brightens the musical spectrum
For music fans burned out on the bombardment of pop, pseudo-punk, and garage bands, take a deep breath of Willy Mason’s “Where the Humans Eat.” Astralwerks’ signing of Mason, and the re-release of his first album on March 7 is the best thing to happen to music in this country since the wall of sound. The folk and bluegrass sounds coming through the speakers will transport you to a place not necessarily less complicated, but somewhere music has not traded innocence for embracing excess. The song “Oxygen” creates a place listeners will want to live in as long as possible. When he sings “I know the future looks dark but it’s there that the kids of today must carry the light,” it gives us hope for the future of music, and Mason’s generation. The subtle “21st Century Boy” showcases Mason’s considerable talent and Sam Mason’s gentle drumming forms a lullaby that will make you think. Mason’s confrontation of societal issues like homelessness and the solitude people clutch to because of fear and misunderstanding are evident in many tracks. “Do you remember the forgotten America, justice, equality, freedom to every race,” he sings in “Oxygen,” his deep voice coming from a soul that truly must be older than his 21 years. Most of the songs were recorded with one take, and Mason played multiple instruments: cello, guitar, piano and lap steel guitar. The hands-off approach by engineer Tom Schick created a disk that sounds authentic, as if Mason could be playing live in your living room. The short and sweet “Letter #1” is reminicsent of Tom Waits’ “Bone Machine” album. His voice sounds like it is coming from a tired transistor radio, and strange sounds like those from a construction site mingle with percussion that clops along like riding a donkey. The dirty electric guitar in “Sold My Soul” pairs deliciously with Mason’s deep voice, evocative of Johnny Cash, creating a musical experience that will leave audiences begging for more. Mason is slated to return to the studio in April, and the results will no doubt be received with open arms from the fans he has in the United States and Europe. The new CD includes bonus tracks and a video not included on the first pressing, and can be found at Music Millenium, Everyday Music and Jackpot Records. As great as the recordings are on “Where the Humans Eat,” Mason is an amazing live musician. His folksy demeanor makes him instant friends wth the audience, and the music is even better in person. The next chance to see Mason is at the Wonder Ballroom in Portland when he opens for Beth Orton on March 27. Hear more of Mason’s music and see the video for “Oxygen” that was aired on MTV last year at astralwerks.com. Leave Mason a message on Myspace at Myspace.com/willymason.
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