Rating: 6/10
For the people that like to get caught up in the rating and not focus on anything else, six is always the weirdest number to assign. Sometimes, like with Chris Stapleton’s latest record, it can be a mark of disappointment after higher expectations. Often with brand-new artists like Mason Lively, it’s a sign of potential. I debated for a long time whether to write a full review for this or whether to feature some of it in Memorable Songs–I went with a review because while I think Lively has things to improve upon, there’s so much promise in this debut, and I’m excited about this artist more than the album. The Texas/Red Dirt scene has such a way with cultivating new artists and letting them develop their own unique sound, and that, more than really anything else about it, is the thing that separates it from Nashville. It’s not the quality of the music or the style, it’s the sense of individuality and originality so carefully preserved and passed down. Few Nashville artists get the chance to develop into themselves, either because of labels dictating them or else being dropped before they can find themselves as artists, but in the Texas scene, new artists are allowed to grow and come into their own.
Although he hasn’t quite come into his own yet with the debut Stronger Ties, Mason Lively has laid a nice foundation here. Tracks like “Heavy Toll” and “Early Grave” display a fine sense of himself sonically, both residing in that traditional Red Dirt space of blending country and rock to make something unique. “Early Grave” has that classic mix of fiddles and rock guitars so common on these records. Both these tracks also do the best job of showcasing Mason’s charisma and personality, and it’s good that they are the opening selections. These are the two I would have chosen had I selected this for the Memorable Songs feature, and it’s these two I’d suggest if you only listen to one or two songs from this record. His personality also comes out on “The Ballad of the Broken Heart,” another stronger moment on the album.
Lively is best at these more up-tempo, country rock tunes, but there are also some nice quieter moments. “Worry About Nothing” sees him vowing to stop focusing on everyone else’s needs without paying attention to his own and saying he’ll pray about everything rather than worrying. There’s some nice harmonica to add some character to this one. The fiddle shows up again in “Right Back to You,” as the narrator keeps returning to the one he loves despite the fact that he said he never would–“two wrongs make a right back to you” is a cool line and one of the flashes of potential in his songwriting peppered throughout the record. The wistful “Hard to Let Go” is probably the strongest of the softer moments, laced with some lovely steel to accentuate it.
Songwriting is both this record’s greatest strength and at times a weakness. Most of these songs are well-written and impressive for a debut, especially for a debut by a twenty-year-old artist. It’s just that, similar to Joshua Hedley’s recent album, a lot of it feels like a great take on the Red dirt style more than actual original expression by Mason Lively. Incidentally, I think Lively’s writing is better than that on Hedley’s album, but they share a similar problem of needing some originality and development. “Hard to Let Go,” for example, is a paradox; it’s a great song, but he sings about having been in this relationship for three years and now coming to the conclusion that their pride ruined it. It’s at once very mature and pretty well-written while also being slightly hard to believe. It’s the same for many of these songs, as the world-weary references to the road sprinkled in various places just don’t ring true at this stage of his career. This is essentially the entire theme of “Heavy Toll,” but that’s also one of the album’s strongest tracks–so it’s all very much a paradox and a difficult criticism. But the cool thing about it all is that in this scene, Lively will get the freedom to grow into these songs and into more original expression, and then his songwriting will shine all the more.
Still, on this record, the songs themselves are good, and people will enjoy this. The writing and presence of Mason Lively have both consistently impressed me on this album, and it’s why I chose to write about this. Stronger Ties feels like a solid beginning rather than a spectacular triumph, but I am excited about this artist and eager to see where Mason Lively will go from here.
Promising debut and certainly an artist to keep on your radar.
I completely agree that there is alot of potential here. But that it does fall short sometimes of what I could be. He almost had a Marc Broussard feel to his music which I dug alot. I couldnt agree with you more about heavy toll, early grave and right back to you being the best cuts of this. I think for most people that will be the case. Those songs stand out above the rest. But I noticed you didn’t mention the song roleplay which is what brought me to the album in the first place. What did you think about that song as a whole megan? I thought it was super cute and pretty unique. Also thanks for writing a review on this. I had to shelve my blog idea because of a move and tons of other things in my life so it’s cool that you were so responsive to this fan request. Keep up the good work. Also do you think some of this new Orleans or soul style country like in the song early grave is a niche that can be filled or needs to be produced more in the gulf cities in texas and such? Cause I’m a true fan of this stuff but I feel it’s a track or two on an album and then we hardly hear of it again.
This had been on my radar before your request, but your request was one of the reasons I decided to give it a full review. Still wouldn’t have done if I didn’t think he showed so much potential, but it definitely played a part.
As for “Roleplay,” I can’t believe I didn’t mention that somewhere because I planned to–I think it’s very unique, and I’m glad to see this stuff get brought up more in all spheres of country. See Ashley Monroe’s “Hands on You” and “Wild Love” and Shinyribs’ “Hands on Your Hips” from last year’s album I Got Your Medicine. The songwriting didn’t particularly stand out with the song, but I was definitely a fan of the idea.
As for the Cajun/Gulf sound, I’d like to see more of it, but I think we’re seeing it in places as well. It’s pretty much the entire sound of Shinyribs, and it’s also a big part of what Shane Smith & the Saints and Charley Crockett incorporate. Actually, I wouldn’t call “Early Grave” soul in that sense at all, so maybe I’m not talking about the exact kind of influence you mean.
Cool thanks for your thoughts and I’ll check out those songs you mentioned.