Major Matt Mason USA - 'Honey, Are You Ready For The Ballet?' (Shoeshine)
3/5
By: Toby L
Seemingly recorded within a battered, cardboard box, the eccentricity and sheer ridiculousness of Major Matt Mason's second LP, 'Honey, Are You Ready For The Ballet', is only outdone by its lo-fi charm.
Much alike fellow contemporary Bob Log III, a character that chooses to play concerts in spaceman-attire, strumming an acoustic whilst growling down the end of a phone-line before the whole effect is amplified through a PA, the problem that can often occur with such 'antifolk' superstars as Mason is that the gimmick overshadows the actual content. With 'Honey...', although the chances are that one shall latch on to a number of the artist's amusing lyrics - references such as 'I arise with a sigh because I slept with your daughter' making for particularly equivocal subject-matter - you're unlikely to drop your jaw at the quality of unadulterated talent on-offer.
But why overcomplicate the issue - this is matter to warm up to a night's hard-partying, rather than soundtrack it.
Notably, where Major Matt finds himself particularly soaring is when the barriers are pushed, the content extended beyond just a mere guitar; this is why when a drum is introduced to 'Mittens', coupled with a chord-sequence that would inspire Evan Dando to smile proudly, reservations of mediocrity are diligently discarded. Similarly, with the implementation of an organ on 'Hunted', his reencountered adventures of yesteryear seem even warmer and worthy of attention.
With the plodding pace and dark 'Tow The Line' soon made way for, prior to the subtle build-up which occurs within closer 'It's All You', the ending of the endeavour will come either as a saving-grace to those that prefer their music vivid and full of aplomb, or a disappointment to instrumental-absorbers that prefer storytelling over rock-star snarling. Whichever character you are of the two, at least Mason has done his job, one suspects - to provoke a passionate reaction.
Artists in this article: Major Matt Mason USA
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