There’s something endearing about the way in which Willy Mason conducts his singer/ songwriter lifestyle, a sense that he’s not bound by the chains of his art. He carries no inclination to appear hip, has no ego, chooses not to appear aloof from his audience, and reading and listening to interviews, one gets the impression that monetary rewards for his ability are indeed a bonus, because his biggest thrill is just picking up the Guitar and adding his world weary tones. At 22, he remains a prodigious talent waiting for the masses to tune in to his travelling troubadour persona, and if many thought his 2004 debut “Where Humans Eat” was a precocious teenage fluke in its ultimate quality, then “If The Ocean Gets Rough” should surely qualify Mason as one of the most seriously overlooked songwriters of the past few years. Many hacks try to tag him as a protest singer, which frankly he’s not. His protestations and ruminations are distinctly aimed at the small town world he exists in, with blue collar tales sung blue of the world in microcosm. Mainly written during European tours, there’s still a sense that his Martha’s Vineyard home is never far from him, and the homespun charms are fully exploited by an easy, mid tempo folk veneer which seeks more precise arrangements than his debut.
Whatever the subject matter Mason sings of and however downbeat his songs may appear, the lyrics generally carry a battle hardened message of hope. This is perfectly exemplified by the depth of the outstanding opener “Gotta Keep Walking”, where the beleaguered singer carries more than the weight of the world with impossible determination. “Save Myself” catalogues a multitude of catastrophes, simply erased by the arrival of the love of Mason’s life, all played over an almost jaunty bar room chug. “I Can’t Sleep” has all the simple melancholy and acoustic chord structure of a mid sixties Beatles classic. The powerful ode to his father and the death of his grandfather are passionately displayed on “The World That I Wanted”, a song about manhood and understanding the intense, unexplainable bond between father and son. KT Tunstall contributes affecting dual vocals to “We Can Be Strong”, which celebrates a culture that a successful formula in life doesn’t necessarily have to follow the well worn route. Production and arrangements feel intimate, homely (Mason’s mother adds some of the backing vocals), and this adds a personal, almost cloying confessional aspect to every song.
Forget the constant references to 60’s singer/songwriter nostalgia. Mason is NOT a remnant of a bygone age, he’s a new improved proposition and “If The Ocean Gets Rough” deserves your complete attention.
8/10
1 Gotta Keep Walking 3:12
2 The World That I Wanted 4:19
3 We Can Be Strong 3:55
4 Save Myself 3:44
5 I Can’t Sleep 3:25
6 Riptide 2:58
7 When the River Moves On 4:38
8 If the Ocean Gets Rough 3:51
9 Simple Town 4:02
10 The End of the Race 3:28
11 When the Leaves Have Fallen 4:43
“Save Myself”
“We Can Be Strong”
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