Steve Mason | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Scottish singer, songwriter, and producer Steve Mason rose to widespread critical acclaim in the late 90s as a member of indie darlings the Beta Band. With their creative songscrap approach and maverick attitude, the Beta Band earned a somewhat notorious reputation among fans and the U.K. press during the post-Brit-pop era, thanks to releases like 1998s The Three EPs and 2001s Hot Shots II. During the Beta Bands heyday and following their 2004 breakup, Mason also recorded as King Biscuit Time and later set out on a proper solo career with albums like 2013s Monkey Minds in the Devils Time and 2019s About the Light. Mason initially formed the Beta Band as a duo in the mid-90s with fellow Fife native Gordon Anderson (Lone Pigeon), although Andersons involvement proved to be short-lived. Following his departure, the group coalesced around Robin Jones on drums, John Maclean on keyboards, sampler, and turntables, and Richard Greentree on bass, with Mason serving as the groups unofficial leader from that point onward. The Beta Band earned heaps of critical praise with an opening salvo of three EPs, all released on Regal and leading up to the release of their acclaimed debut album, 1999s The Beta Band. (Their fame only grew after they were name-dropped in the film High Fidelity by John Cusack, whose character claimed -- and then proved -- that he could immediately sell five copies of their EP collection The Three E.P.s simply by playing one track.) The follow-up, Hot Shots II, earned greater praise, although shortly after their third release, 2004s Heroes to Zeros, the band announced their breakup. Mason had already debuted a solo project, King Biscuit Time, late in 1998, and during the 18 months that followed the Beta Bands breakup, he released a pair of King Biscuit singles -- including "C I AM 15," which reached number 67 on the British charts -- and a full album, 2006s Black Gold. One year later, he launched an electronica project called Black Affair, and a techno-influenced LP titled Pleasure Pressure Point appeared on V2 in 2008. He subsequently returned to a Beta Band format for his first album under his own name, a late 2009 single titled "All Come Down." The expected full-length album, Boys Outside, with production help from Richard X, appeared in 2010 on Double Six, distributed by Domino. Provided with polished production, Steve Masons poignant songwriting and powerful vocals were brought to the fore. The album was then given a dub reworking by Mason and Dennis Bovell. Ghosts Outside displayed the singer/songwriters effortless ability to span genres successfully, while remixing the likes of Django Django showed Masons hunger for creativity was not slowing down. In early 2013, his third album under his own name arrived. Among its sprawling 20 tracks, Monkey Minds in the Devils Time explored depression, politics, and human nature, bringing together many genres to create a mesmerizing experience. His next record focused purely on himself, wringing out personal emotions and experiences for 2016s Meet the Humans, bringing aboard Craig Potter (Elbow) to produce the album. With a number of solo tours under his belt, Mason wished to re-create the same live energy on record; the resulting album, 2019s About the Light, featured a live band throughout the recording process to capture the feeling of his shows. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 5 Title: Boys Outside Released: 2010-05-03 Tracks: 10 Duration: 41:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Understand My Heart (03:21) 2 Am I Just a Man (03:15) 3 The Letter (03:57) 4 Yesterday (03:18) 5 Lost & Found (05:48) 6 I Let Her In (02:44) 7 Stress Position (04:10) 8 All Come Down (04:36) 9 Boys Outside (04:33) 10 Hound on My Heel (05:15) |
| Boys Outside : Allmusic album Review : From the first few seconds of Steve Masons first full-length under his own name (following one as King Biscuit Time and one as Black Affair), the results could be a Beta Band reunion in full force, with all the crushing beats and junk-shop audio detritus to boot. But it soon becomes clear that Masons production partner, Richard X, is having a subtle influence, one that pushes Boys Outside into adult alternative territory. While that may be worrisome for Masons long-time fans, it bodes well for those who have long wondered whether his voice would always remain one of the best-kept secrets in the alternative/indie world. Compared to Beta Band material, the songs here are given a sharper touch but also a softer focus, and Masons vocals (always a highlight of the records he appeared on) are given the foreground. His vocals still evoke some sort of Scottish high lonesome sound, although his range hasnt expanded much in a dozen years of music-making. (Considering his dearth of material over the past eight years, most listeners will be thankful for this.) His lyrical themes remain bewildered and self-indicting. Its easy to get the feeling that the cover, which is completely black, is an act of fatalistic self-resignation; when he sings "The river runs baby, and it calls for me," the unavoidable impression is that hell soon be floating along in it, face down. Mason and Richard X do an excellent job of sanding off the rough edges of Masons past Beta Band material, leaving listeners with more melodic and harmonic treats to enrich their discovery of his many lyrical delicacies. Masons career has been one of constant starts and stops and side-project misdirections (for his fans, at least), so the straightforwardly eccentric Boys Outside is clearly a record to treasure. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 5 Title: Ghosts Outside Released: 2011-07-25 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:46 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Understand My Dub (06:16) 2 Dub I Just a Man (04:10) 3 Letter Dub (03:55) 4 Yesterday Dub (03:15) 5 Lost and Dub (05:01) 6 Dub Her In (04:35) 7 Dub Position (05:16) 8 Dub Come Down (04:16) 9 Dub Outside (03:19) 10 Dub on My Heel (02:43) |
| Ghosts Outside : Allmusic album Review : After flirting with dub-reggae under the alias of King Biscuit Time, Beta Band founding member Steve Mason gives Boys Outside, his first release under his real name, a full-scale Jamaican makeover, with a little help from Matumbi guitarist and esteemed producer (Orange Juice, Madness) Dennis Bovell. Swapping its previous glacial electro-soul sound for a fusion of skank guitars, laid-back riddims, and blistering horn sections, Ghosts Outside sees Mason relegated to backup man on his own record, with the haunting vocals and reflective lyrics that defined the Richard X-produced affair largely restrained to a flurry of vocal loops and repetitive samples. But while it lacks the emotional punch of the original, which heavily alluded to his battle with depression and troubled relationships, its ten tracks (featured in a different order, and with new dub-centric titles) serve up a curious alternative that treats the ghostly melodies and ethereal production with respect, while still providing an authentic dub-heavy experience. Indeed, the initial cuts with the dubby undertones, such as the skittering sci-fi of "Stress Position," the Balearic house of "Yesterday," and the trip-hop-inspired "All Come Down," are left firmly intact, proving that Bovell doesnt need to stamp his mark on everything to prove his credentials. But elsewhere, the British reggae pioneer grasps the opportunity to work his magic, turning the gentle acoustic folk balladry of the title track into a languid slice of Hammond organ-driven lovers rock, layering the Primal Scream-esque acid house of "Lost and Found" with epic reverb-laden brass drops, and eschewing the shimmering guitars and post-rock rhythms of "The Letter" in favor of echo-drenched ska riffs, funky basslines, and lolloping grooves. The whole concept doesnt quite sustain the intrigue throughout, but considering the two very different mavericks on board, Ghosts Outside is a natural and effortless collaboration suggesting that Mason is more than equipped to match the experimental ambitions of his former band. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 5 Title: Monkey Minds in the Devils Time Released: 2013-03-18 Tracks: 20 Duration: 58:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Old Problem (00:47) 2 Lie Awake (04:13) 3 Flyover 98 (00:54) 4 A Lot of Love (04:23) 5 The Last of the Heroes (02:26) 6 Lonely (04:29) 7 Safe Population (02:34) 8 Friends for Evermore (00:15) 9 Seen It All Before (04:40) 10 From Hate We Hope (02:10) 11 Oh My Lord (03:22) 12 Goodbye Youth (01:40) 13 Never Be Alone (04:33) 14 Behind the Curtains (01:23) 15 More Money, More Fire (02:51) 16 Fire! (04:10) 17 Operation Mason (02:31) 18 Fight Them Back (04:15) 19 Towers of Power (01:38) 20 Come to Me (05:34) |
| Monkey Minds in the Devil's Time : Allmusic album Review : Steve Mason is a man who spends much time thinking about the world around him and the effect it has on himself and society at large. Perhaps he is welcoming us into a corner of his mind as Monkey Minds in the Devils Time -- his third album under his own name -- begins. Seagulls are heard circling above as a boat rocks gently in the waves, the sails feeling the strain of the incoming winds, while a reading from Canto XVII, a section of Dantes Inferno, paints a vivid picture of a world full of despair ("I looked at many thus scorched by the fiery floor, and though I scanned their faces with the utmost heed, there was no one there I recognized"). "Lie Awake" then creeps in seamlessly, a relaxing, hypnotic blend of bass and drums replacing the sound of the ocean with its musical equivalent. Dantes words have set a scene -- albeit metaphorically -- that allows Mason to start by questioning human nature and the importance of the care of people in one’s life. It’s a captivating opening to 20 sprawling, well-polished tracks recorded in London with Dan Carey and in Masons studio in Fife, Scotland, where 11 linking pieces were self-produced. The first piece, "Flyover 98," flips the mood, harking back to Masons more abstract Beta Band days. A busker frantically plays a wonderfully jovial tune on an accordion, until a motorbike engine drowns it out, leading us to the sweet acoustic guitar bounce of "A Lot of Love," one of his most gorgeously tender compositions. Where 2010s Boys Outside provided some of Masons more concise, personally dark songwriting with a crisp, accessible backdrop, Monkey Minds in the Devils Time wastes no time in offering a more universal, yet no less personal experience. Steve Mason is realizing his musical vision confidently, typified by the jump between the rather moving sampling of Brazilian commentary from a glorious Ayrton Senna lap, complete with soaring engines ("The Last of the Heroes"), to the pained yet undoubtedly uplifting, piano-led gospel of "Lonely." Meanwhile, "Seen It All Before" tackles depression, urging us to "Pick her all the flowers/Don’t get down among the hours/Start another day/You never know when she might look your way." Masons lyrics are delivered brilliantly, their dream-like quality drifting around an album that comfortably takes in a host of genres, including dance ("Towers of Power") and hip-hop ("More Money, More Fire"). The latter features London MC Mystro, who provides a forthright attack on police and government actions surrounding the capitals 2011 riots. "Fight Them Back," one of many highlights, then pushes Monkey Minds in the Devils Times politically motivated final third to the hilt, a fierce battle cry ("Get up/Fight them back/A fist, a boot and a baseball bat") swarmed by a stupendous bassline and sublime string section. Closer "Come to Me" eventually brings us full circle, peeling away from the protests for one final, optimistic reminder of the power of companionship during mans darkest hours. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 5 Title: Meet the Humans Released: 2016-02-26 Tracks: 11 Duration: 48:07 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Water Bored (03:47) 2 Alive! (04:17) 3 Alright (04:48) 4 Another Day (03:46) 5 Ran Away (03:49) 6 To a Door (04:14) 7 Hardly Go Through (05:17) 8 Through My Window (04:50) 9 Planet Sizes (04:18) 10 Like Water (04:02) 11 Words in My Head (04:59) |
| Meet the Humans : Allmusic album Review : After the intensity and sheer breadth of 2013s politically charged Monkey Minds in the Devils Time, Steve Mason returns with his most cohesive and fully realized solo effort yet. In a deliberate step away from the thematic sweep of his first two solo releases, the former Beta Band and King Biscuit Time maestro uncorks a set of pop songs that stand proudly as independent pieces, yet make for an even greater whole. Produced by Elbows Craig Potter, Meet the Humans manages to distill Masons lush melancholia and maverick pop acumen into 11 strong tracks that refer to his two decades of recording while delivering something new. The album opens with the warm embrace of "Water Bored," an inspired bit of polyrhythmic, piano-led melodicism that introduces a more hopeful and resolved artist than on his prior solo output. Echoes of the Beta Bands nonconformist post-Brit-pop can be heard in the beats and tones of "Alive!," which revives Masons relationship with the melodica, and "Words in My Head," the albums darkly epic closer. A live band feeling ignites the horn-laden "Another Day," and the buoyant Kristina Train-aided "To a Door" confronts death with a heady confidence that makes it feel like the centerpiece of the whole collection. Masons hushed voice is in fine form throughout and Potters production style draws from his own bands romantic landscapes, complementing the material well. The impeccably crafted tension and relief on "Planet Sizes" are classic Steve Mason as he builds the pounding, minor-key verses into a beautifully glimmering chorus, cleverly toying with the listeners emotions. Fans of any of Masons earlier projects will find something to love on what is easily the gifted popsmiths best solo effort to date. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 5 Title: About the Light Released: 2019-01-18 Tracks: 10 Duration: 39:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples AlbumCover | 1 America Is Your Boyfriend (03:42) 2 Rocket (04:58) 3 No Clue (03:10) 4 About the Light (04:26) 5 Fox on the Rooftop (04:39) 6 Stars Around My Heart (04:06) 7 Spanish Brigade (03:31) 8 Dont Know Where (03:57) 9 Walking Away from Love (03:40) 10 The End (03:43) |