Willy Mason
Where the Humans Eat
(Team Love)
It's hard not to be slightly enraptured with Willy Mason's voice. If you close your eyes, you can hear a hint of Neil Hannon in it - soulful and effortless. The deep soothing tones have a sedative appeal, accompanied by stumbling yet steady drum beats.
Mason was one of those kids who was born with a guitar in his arms. In a way, his music takes you back to the womb. It feels safe and it works. It's not intricate, complicated or patronising. He's been hailed as the next Bob Dylan, but Willy Mason would beg to differ. The lyrics are intelligent - far more intelligent than one would expect from a 20-year-old from Martha's Vineyard.
Some might say Mason is nothing but a smart alec kid who should have lived leagues more before having the audacity to say at what age it's appropriate to read Dostoyevsky. Nevertheless, Mason has something to say and it's worth listening to.