Customer Reviews

Birds Flying Away

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Very overlooked. Just look at how many people have written reviews of this album as compared to his others. Basically I am writing this review to contest all those reviewers out there comparing Mason to Jack Johnson. I am a little tired of this happening. They are not close to being the same. Let me take that back... yes, they both play acoustic guitar, yes, they both are males, yes they both wear pants. I should say right now that I like Jack Johnson, I like his music. He writes cool little ditties that are very infectious. They tend to worm their way into your head and not want to leave, but the songs stop there. They don't leave you blown away; they don't leave you absolutely amazed; the lyrics don't leave goosebumps on your arms. No, Jack Johnson's music is light, friendly and void of any real emotions.

Mason Jennings, on the other hand, has the amazing ability to write goosebump songs that will blow you away. He writes with such an intesity that is almost frightening. His lyrics mean something, his melodies arc over the songs in such a way that one might think that the song was never really written, it was just always there, waiting to be sung. He is an amazing songwriter. I also love his voice. I've noticed some people writing reviews saying that they don't like it, that he sings slightly off key. I'm not disagreeing with this. He does sing slightly off key, he also plays in a flat tuning, but that's not the point. It's just part of his charm. Look at all the amazing songwriters that have sung off key... two that immediately pop to mind are Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Those two made it acceptable for future songwriters, such as Mason, to sing slightly off key.

So no, Mason is nothing like Jack Johnson. And I, for one, am glad for that. (No offense to Mr. Johnson.)

One thing that really annoys me is when people constantly write reviews in which they compare one artist to another. I mean, I like Elliott Smith, too, but it would be ridiculous to say that Mason Jennings is "like" Elliott Smith. Can we, perhaps, rise to the challenge of saying something original about the artist without drawing invidious comparisons? Let me tell you a story about this cd, instead. Just about two and a half years ago, I was living in Minneapolis, moving out of a much-beloved apartment after a not-so-beloved period in my life. "Train Leaving Gray" came on the radio (a live, studio version prior to the cd's release). I put the broom down in my now-empty apartment and cried. May you be lucky enough to have such an experience. Really pretty songs; really scary songs; really real songs.

I recently purchased this record at a small, independent record store in Philadelphia. Mason's name was mentioned among the likes of other neo-folk troubadours like Jack Johnson, Jon Swift and G. Love, all of whom I like, so I decided to give "Birds" a chance. I was slightly unimpressed after my first listen. Few songs were memorable to me, with the exception of Ballad for my One True Love, but like most good albums, this one definitely grew on me. Certain songs like Black Panther and Dr. King, as another reviewer mentioned, are too entrenched in obsolescent, beatnik idealism, but when Mason sings of love (Ballad for my One True Love, Train Leaving Gray) and distress (The Mountain, The Light), he shines quite brightly. Although Birds Flying Away emits a great deal of sunny positivity, it also possesses a dark, brooding undertone that is contrary to the work of nearly all of his contemporaries. Few musicians accurately balance dichotomous themes that manage to shed light upon both subjects at hand and maintain a steady cadence throughout the album. Mason Jennings; however, is capable of such craftmanship, and with "Birds Flying Away", he has evinced a stirring conglomeration of songs that touch upon the age-old ideas of love, hate, madness, evil, corruption and violence in a confident and copacetic way.

The first time I listened to this record I was baffled over Mason's choice of subjects and use of loose, reggae- and jazz-flavored rhythms. But after a while, the heartfelt nature with which he paid tribute to Dr. King, the barely-boiling-over anger of Global Empire, the ode to true love in Ballad for My One True Love and the sighing loss of Train Leaving Gray seemed to pinpoint not only the struggles that Mason seemed to be facing as a songwriter but the same struggles that most of humanity faces in one form or another.

This second album by amazing singer-songwriter Mason Jennings features tight folk songs, much like his first album, but somehow the songs don't seem to be quite as pure because they are more complicated and recorded on better equitment. Part of his charm was the simple pure emotion of a man and his guitar, which is not as true in this album. Still great, just not as good as his first.

Mason Jennings is one of those musicians you are referred to by a friend, one of those acts you just happen to catch because you show up early for the headliner you came to see. However you arrive, you know that you have discovered something special. His second album, BIRDS FLYING AWAY, is tranquilizing all the way through. His voice is a little bit Dylan, and his acoustic guitar seems too simple. But what is it that makes Picasso the most impressive fingerpainter in the world? Mason Jennings has that same magic.

...on you. I have a good friend who I typically introduce to good music, but occasionally he surprises me with something I have never heard and Mason Jennings is one. He first burned a batch of CD's for me back in mid 2005 and included some Mason Jennings. My wife and I have grown to love his songs, his voice, etc. Birds Flying Away was the album that took longest to acquire a taste for, but now I find myself listening to it all the time. There's a little Marley in there too.

I decided to first give this a listen on a Sunday afternoon by the pool while living in California. I was happy with the easygoing nature of this album, with an easy beat, easy guitar riffs, and an easy rhythm. MJ doesn't get too complicated on this CD, and pleasingly so. It seems as if he put his random musings down on paper and then started strumming his guitar (as evidenced by the first verse of the first song: "Make yourself at home, 'cause I'm going out across the street to get us some water, 'cause this water's brown and I'm so embarrassed to have you here, but I want you around."). But that's not a bad thing, just not the deep, soul-searching sort of lyrical genius that I was looking for at the time. However, with MJ's deadpan voice, I don't think what we really want out of him is some sort of epiphany. He depicts the everyday comings and goings of life very well, including life, love, and California (which this album seems to focus around). I definitely advocate anyone who loves acoustic poetry to pick this one up and give it a listen.

To see that this album is the 400th best selling album on amazon.com speaks volumes for how for Mason's music has come in the past few years. Word is starting to spread about this talented folk/country singer-songwriter, and it won't be long, I hope, before he gets the true national recognition he deserves.

This album introduced me to Mason, so I'm a little partial to it over the self-titled one. For me, Mason's lyrics about his personal experiences of love, loss, pain and redemption spoke to me in a way that few musicians ever have. I can't say that his lyrics and music won't affect you in the same way, but I'd wager that because of the timeless truth Jennings reveals, you're more likely than not to connect with him at some level.

My favorites on this album include "Confidant," "Ballad for my One True Love," "Dr. King," "The Light," and "Train Leaving Gray." To make one brief comment about Jennings' guitar work: it's very unique and ingenuitive...but not so much that it disturbs the flow of his songs.

Overall, I can't recommend this album to any fan of music highly enough. For more info on Mason check out the NPR interview that was done on him New Year's day 2002. You should be able to find it by searching their archive for "mason jennings." Peace, everyone.

I was turned o to Mason Jennings a few years back by a friend I dig his singing but also I dig his anti american/capitalist message. So I couldn't figure out why someone who thinks capitalism is a bad thing is charging for his product. but I enjoyed it so much I went to a bit torrent site and got it for free. Now I have the music and I didn't give the man a dime.