Paul Masson – Paul Masson EP
Judging by the cover of his record, Masson seems to be proud of his individuality. The cover shows Masson’s name in a rather generic looking backyard. The rest of the artwork shows Masson, a guitar and a dog in the same nameless field. Although Masson’s music certainly is individual, the best part of the EP break out of that mold and showcase his voice as a part of the overall arrangement. It’s a soulish, breathy sound that feels like a more acoustic version of Ray Lamontagne. It’s almost too breathy, too clean, tries to hard when the arrangements aren’t full enough.
The more open county numbers are certainly the standouts here, particularly with the metronome turned up. “Where Have all the Gentleman Gone†has a western swing played over beautiful steel lines that accentuate the romanticism of the song. It’s a portrait of love that sings with beauty and heart.
The opening track really sounds like a modern blue-eyed soul tune. The lyrics stay simple and in the tradition of Motown. But the arrangement of “Gonna Be Your Man†sounds like it could fit snugly on the on Ray Lamontagne’s acoustic second record “Til the Sun Turns Black.â€
The last two tracks on the EP slow down the metronome to a crawl. While some vocalists can pull this off, Masson undeniably hits his stride on the faster pace of out and out country tunes. Each one has his a true signature. Even in the short length of the EP, Masson’s downtempo tunes are often “skipped†tracks. I look forward to the increased budget and full arrangements of Masson’s debut.
About the author: Jeff is a teacher in the Boston area. When not buried correcting papers, Jeff can be found plucking various stringed instruments and listening to all types of americana music.