Benjamin Mason – I Asked My Friends To Cover My Songs And
This Is What They Came Up With
CD / DL
Out Now
8 / 10
Welsh singer-songwriter releases an album to raise funds for
brain tumour sufferers.
For the uninitiated a quick Google for Benjamin Mason will
reveal an American artist, a seventeenth century politician or if you’re lucky,
the quirky Welsh polymath that records under several guises. For the sake of relevance, the latter is the
one that has just released this sparkling album.
The album does exactly what it says in the title, thirteen
Mason tracks covered by twelve artists (the mighty Pulco contributes twice)
offers a fascinating insight into a truly fabulous songwriter but also into
many artists you may never have heard of before. The album has been released to help raise
funds for the Thorne Mason Trust which tries to help brain tumour sufferers in
the Pembrokeshire area - a fine cause if ever there was one.
It becomes apparent very early on that Mason is a slightly
off kilter songwriter. Great melodies,
great choruses and very addictive indeed but there is often a quirky twist
which makes his work very endearing. From
the opening Oh To Be A Drifter with its
folky moon stomp beat and subtle guitar blending with the often manic vocals of
Pulco knit together a fascinating weave.
His other contribution Untitled (It’s A Shame) points more to the avant
garde sound of the Bangor man with a sumptuous vocal.
Elsewhere, Yewdrops bring you Alacazam in a Sneaker Pimps/Portishead
fashion. It’s slow, lazy beat is absolutely
stunning and some superb reverb effects are the work of genius. Acoustic guitars appear and disappear and the
vocals are angelic. Truly brilliant
stuff. Todd Tuttle And Doug Seidel perform
Mumma Husk with a sound of the Deep South and dry, croaky vocals against some inspiring
experimental backing.
Sheer beauty comes in the form of Ian Thistlethwaite (Dipped
In The Future) and, Matthew Frederick (You’ll Always Be My Girl) whose
contributions will melt the steeliest of hearts. Exquisite classical style arrangements and piano
work respectively make two tracks that will make you stop what you are doing and
listen intently. Lovely stuff.
Album closer, Skies Are Falling has Jodie Marie going all
Carole King on us and highlights the quality of acts on this taster. If the songs alone weren’t enough to invest
in this album then the charity should really swing it for you. Accomplished songs from an artist clearly
with a lot to offer and a man with some very talented friends indeed.
Order the album here.
Bandcamp
Published on Louder Than War 04/08/17 - here
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