Name: If the Ocean Gets Rough *
Brand: Astralwerks
SKU: 434960
Price: 12.18 USD
Availability: InStock

Performer Notes

Composer: Willy Mason.
Personnel: Willy Mason (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, cello, piano, percussion); Colin Ruel (vocals, guitar); Zak Borden (vocals, mandolin); Nina Violet (vocals, viola, cello, piano); Marciana Jones, Jemima James, Rosanne Cash (vocals); Chris Shaw (guitar, keyboards); Farley Glavin, J.D. Foster (bass instrument); Sam Mason (drums, percussion).
Audio Mixers: Doug Easley; Chris Shaw .
Recording information: Long View Farm Studio, North Brookfield, MA; Stratesphere Studios, NY.
Unknown Contributor Role: Jemima James.
A young alt-folk singer-songwriter from Martha's Vineyard, Willy Mason makes his major-label debut with the excellent IF THE OCEAN GETS ROUGH. As influenced by the likes of Graham Parker, Elvis Costello, and Tom Waits as he is by Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard, Mason skillfully blends folk, country, and full-tilt rock on his punchy, largely acoustic tunes. Particular highlights include "Gotta Keep Walking" and the title track.

Professional Reviews

Spin (p.97) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[H]eavier on texture....[With] slumbery Jonathan Richman-meets-Beck vocals..."

Q (p.119) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[Eleven] songs of stark maturity....Masterful and poignant, it reveals Mason to be a heavyweight talent."