Hello, music fans!
I’m back with another artist recommendation! This time it’s New England-born singer/songwriter Willy Mason. Mason has actually enjoyed more success in the United Kingdom than he has in his home country since he first entered the music scene, but 2013 brought him some much-deserved attention here in the States. He toured the U.S. with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros and then with English folk star Laura Marling, was part of the line-up of the October Communion club nights (which I mention in a previous TWT post), and his latest release landed at number 29 on American Songwriter Magazine’s list of the top 50 albums of 2013.
Mason is just shy of 30 years old, and many of his songs reflect the fiery idealism (like his first acclaimed song, “Oxygen”) as well as the concerns (such as “We Can Be Strong,” from If the Ocean Gets Rough) of the young. But his talent for songwriting and his deep, weathered voice make him sound wise beyond his years. Youth and wisdom combine beautifully in his newest album, Carry On. “Pick-up Truck,” the second track, tells of the pressure that many young people feel as adulthood sneaks up on them (“Graduation, life has begun…that door is closing, they’ve left you to run.”). Most of the songs are a bit more light-hearted and optimistic than this (“I’ve Got Gold” and “Into Tomorrow,” are two prime examples), but they all, in some way, tell of the struggle to make sense of life’s twists and to go with the flow, as the album’s title suggests.
Willy Mason’s tour site is sparse right now, but keep watching it if you want to see him live (which, since I’ve seen him twice, I highly recommend). You can purchase his music on iTunes and Amazon, and all of his releases are streaming on Spotify. Visit his website for more information and links!
Live, Love, Learn