Mason Lowe: Morning Folks

(Killroom Data)

DL | Stream

Out twenty third June 2023

Seattle primarily based drummer Mason Lowe took a pandemic impressed break from his traditional band actions to channel a few of his personal private creativity into his debut solo album, Morning Folks. Ian Corbridge critiques for Louder Than Warfare and discovers an uplifting assortment of songs steeped in basic influences from the 60’s and 70’s which gives each a great counterpoint to the troublesome occasions wherein the album was written and likewise a memorable soundtrack for the Summer time of 2023.

Mason Lowe has been a drummer within the Seattle music scene for quite a few years, most not too long ago with energy pop band Bread & Butter. With a critically lauded debut album from 2017 below their belt, their comply with up album in 2020 inevitably received swamped by the pandemic and the band drifted right into a hiatus. Nevertheless, simply as a sense of suppression was overwhelming a lot of the artistic arts, Mason discovered a brand new sense of inspiration to channel a few of his personal concepts into his personal solo debut album. As Mason defined, it was “a little bit intoxicating to comply with each musical concept as quick as they got here up and so far as they might go.”

However it’s clear proper from the outset that while this album was conceived and recorded throughout an prolonged interval of lockdown, the entire really feel popping out of the grooves by no means displays the tough and lonely occasions that so many felt throughout this era. Actually, fairly the other because the songs convey such a cheerful vibe which maybe mirror extra on Masons personal need that “once I’m listening to music, I like it when a tune takes me out of myself.” And that is simply what this album does because it fuses the jangle-pop styling of Huge Star with Seaside Boys model harmonies, the lady group vibe of the 60’s and the glam of the early 70’s.

An amazing instance of that is Hanging Round which was the primary tune written for this album. It’s assured to carry you out of even the darkest nook of your thoughts with its vibrant melody and sweet-sounding harmonies all the time leaving you in a significantly better place. As Mason explains “It was a tough time. I used to be coping with the primary few dips of the COVID roller-coaster and my private life was form of a wreck. And but, right here comes this delightfully candid tune about having a crush on somebody! It stunned me! The honesty of the lyrics on this tune set the course for the entire document.” And Mason actually hits the nail on the top there!

The album is solely awash with glam stomping rhythms which reference again to these heady days of the early 70’s, alongside early Kinks and The Who, all with a little bit of Stones perspective thrown within the combine. That is ample within the likes of Whiplash and I Can Do Nicely which mix all these heavy riffs with gentle harmonies and heartbreakingly lovely refrain traces that stick in your head for ages. These are songs about love, romance and friendship which shines by means of all of the fantastic melodies.

World Class is a wonderful explosion of 60’s infused sunshine pop with a refrain line which pays its dues to the likes of the Shangri-Las, while Stoned And Chilly dives headlong again into 60’s beat era territory with one other uplifting refrain. Scab On Your Arm is wrapped round a heavy riff with the pedigree of early Kinks and The Who shining brightly by means of its aura, however we do get some lighter reduction by means of What Took You So Lengthy wherein Mason actually appears to have his tongue planted firmly in his cheek.

Plastered, which opens the album, was really one of many final songs written for the album. Having written a lot of the album by means of a state of loneliness, it appears Mason had lastly discovered love by the point this tune emerged which could clarify its theme of somebody who simply can’t disguise their love and is heading off the rails, simply letting all of it occur. It’s all centred round an enormous glam rhythm while nonetheless main into huge refrain traces infused with 60’s lady group model melodies.

The theme of affection continues by means of the marginally extra quirky sounding You Obtained The Contact which leads onto If You Ever Change Your Thoughts, a tune which conveys a much more forlorn and melancholy temper as Mason declares “this information on eternally.” You Took A Likelihood On Me Child pays a big debt to early Beatles while closing tune By no means Been A Higher Time has considerably extra psychedelic leanings, having absorbed all that has gone earlier than.

In Morning Folks, Mason Lowe has produced an album steeped in 60’s nostalgia which is an uplifting mix of 60’s beat era and lady teams with early 70’s glam, storage and energy pop. The fusion of heavy riffs, gentle harmonies and intoxicating melodies all wrapped up with a heart-warming sentimentality has created a memorable soundtrack for the Summer time of 2023 which shouldn’t be ignored. Be careful for particulars of album launch exhibits quickly to be introduced.

You’ll be able to pre-order the album right here.

Yow will discover Mason Lowe on Fb, Twitter, Instagram, Bandcamp and his web site.

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All phrases by Ian Corbridge. Yow will discover extra of his writing at his creator profile.