Mason Proper is an act of five guys whom whimsically claim, in their personal bio, to be a "major producer of textiles in the North American territory." Made up of Jonathan Visger, Brain Konicek, Zac Fineberg, Matt Thomson, and Garrett Jones, these indie rockers from Alpena, Michigan have ear-catching down to a science. Upon first listen, Mason Proper seems to fill their music with bits and pieces of some of the best and most loveable artists. At times you can distinctly hear sounds much like those of Modest Mouse, Manchester Orchestra, White Stripes, old school Death Cab, and even a bit of those caterwauling Chris Conley vocals, just to name a few. But what's really impressive about these Michiganian musicians is they take these sounds and make them undeniably their own. On their most recent album Olly Oxen Free, which was released on Dovecote Records last September, the guys showcase an enthralling and addictive set of songs. The album opens with the jarring "Fog." With foot thumping drums and poignant vocals the song begins with lyrics "My horoscope said 'pack your bags,'"and continues as an all around chilling track about being trapped away. The sort-of-electric "Lock And Key" plays with a confident feel and comes equipped with an oddball music video starring: mannequins (and their human counterpart band members). "Out Dragging The River" opens with a simple piano beat accompanied by an equally as clean vocal/drum combo. The track "Shiny" has a Jack White indie/grunge feel to it thanks to its sporadic movements and gravelly vocals. The final track "Safe For The Time Being" is almost like a "Fog" sequel with another mesmerizing soft flow. The song, which now has a brand new music video to go with it, is full of ghostlike background harmonies (some three or four at a time). The lyrics "Oh my god/ This fog all around's the breath of a friend face down/ He's coughin' but sleeping sound" ties nicely to the album’s opener. As these five guys slowly crawl to the top of new indie rock favorites, their album though now nine months old, continues to gain respectable attention. With a great mixture of influences and sounds, what's not to like about Mason Proper? They've got the flair to scoop up years' worth of great sounds and puzzle-piece them together to form one, great, super-band. Visit their homepage here: http://masonproper.com/ And check out their brand new video for "Safe For The Time Being": http://vimeo.com/5024158/ |
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