Melodic rock, sometimes quirky, sometimes indie, always enjoyable. Featuring Dave Narcizo from Throwing Muses on drums and Jeffrey Underhill from Velvet Crush. The Masons deliver songs you swear you've heard before, but never have, until now.

14 MP3 Songs
ROCK: Modern Rock, POP: Power Pop



Details:
After almost 7 years The Masons return with Let You Down Easy, the follow up to the critically acclaimed Change Me Back. The Kraig Jordan-helmed recording project delivers 14 new songs you swear you've heard before, but never did, until now. Although the 4-track cassette recorder and milk crate microphone stand have been replaced by a custom built converted garage recording studio, the instant excitement of Change Me Back flourishes on Let You Down Easy. Think Neil Young, The Beatles, Velvet Underground, Ween and you're getting close. Let You Down Easy features appearances by Don Sanders (Medicine Ball), Dave Narcizo (Throwing Muses), Jeffrey Underhill (Velvet Crush), Eric Fontana, Sarah Lupo, and other Rhode Island musicians.

14 songs that dig in a lot of different and very cool places resulting in a treasure that is hard to describe beyond the simple statement "this is really, really good material!". Well, think some upbeat Luna, some early REM, Throwing Muses, some new wave pop circa 1981, Travelin' Wilburys/Tom Petty-cum-ELO, Mott The Hoople/Stones("Class Action"), My Morning Jacket and Ass Ponys and, well you hopefully get the idea, it's not going to be easily classifiable! That is a very good thing here, too. Very Highly Recommended
- Bruce Brodeen - notlame.com

Masons 'Let You Down Easy' with the return of the song
There seems to be a great new trend starting to occur within the local music scene, one that this writer is more than a little familiar with.
Many bands are rejecting the stagnant, never-changing musician lineup, and instead favoring an ever-evolving and diverse member roster, usually centering around one or two core members. The emphasis is on the songwriting and the recording, rather than some fruitless fraternal band unity.
Instantly, two shining local examples of this format pop right into my mind. Extreme modesty prevents me from mentioning the first. But allow me to delve into the second â The Masons and their new CD release, Let You Down Easy. Boasting an uncanny ability to craft a song which actually contains a melody line that's not only catchy but also creative, The Mason's core member and benevolent svengali Kraig Jordan, had a hand in writing each of the disc's fourteen tracks. To label these tracks as eclectic would win you the 2007 Understatement of the Year Award. There's something from all corners of the band's influence crate, which they pull off with varying degrees of effectiveness from song to song. I can hear everyone from Marc Bolan to Mark Knopfler on this record, all the while demonstrating an adept understanding of the elusive writing/recording/studio process.
Perusing around the tracks is like taking an audible history lesson through the changing, varying styles that made up the rock & roll era. The CD's kickoff "Preemptive Denial" would have fit comfortably in 1978, banging around the hallowed halls of New York's now-defunct CBGBs. But wait â don't get too complacent just yet. Track two "I Am a Rainbow" takes a complete 180-degree turn in the road and delivers an infectious melody that I still can't get out of my head. It's as if it was carved out from some 70's AM Chart Topper's template. (Just think Loboâ¦). "In the Water" on the other hand brings us into the often-quirky, synth-oriented techno-pop 80's, but not in over-the-top fashion. "Don't you wanna know what they're putting in our food? - I think you should - Is it good? "
But hands down, the most perfectly crafted pop gem in the offering is "Theo," an ode to a recently deceased dog. Now don't worry folks, it ain't a downer. On the contrary it has an uplifting, catchy gang vocal throughout, with a melodic release torn right out of the ELO songbook. Again the lyrics are quirky, but only in the very best sense of the word. On a whole, Let You Down Easy is a hugely refreshing change of pace from the stale mindset of many regional recordings. Clearly, Kraig Jordan et al have been thinking. Almost like some songwriting exercise, he uses specific historic genres only as backdrop for his lyrics, harmonies and melodies. The result is a creative and somewhat unorthodox project that is all about the song.

- Motif Magazine