Blood Of Man

Mason Jennings | Format: MP3 Music

Product Details

• Original Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Release Date: September 15, 2009
• Label: Brushfire Records/Universal
• Copyright: (C) 2009 Brushfire Records
• Record Company Required Metadata: Music file metadata contains unique purchase identifier. Learn more.
• Total Length: 42:21
• Genres:
  • Pop
• ASIN: B002NXRDXE
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #81,001 Paid in MP3 Albums (See Top 100 Paid in MP3 Albums)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Mason's heart of darkness September 18, 2009

By B. Martin

Format:Audio CD

What in the world has gotten into Mason Jennings? That was the question that I couldn't get out of my head after listening to his latest LP, a dark and heavy set of songs dealing with death, loss, murder, grief and all other sorts of cheeful themes. Not that Jennings hasn't tackled these issues before, just not so intensely and never in such a condensed set of songs. Past recordings from the singer/songwriter have dealt with issues such as spiritual searching, love, family, politics, faith, etc. But the music has always been upbeat and melodic. Things aren't so pleasant this time out. The lyrical subject matter is darker than anything he has ever released before. Songs such as "Pittsburgh" deal with a friend's drug overdose and the emotional aftermath while "The Field" looks at the current conflict in Iraq through the eyes of parents who have lost a child to the war. The song is drenched in grief and it's hard not to choke up when Jennings sings, "I don't want a victory. I just want you back". It is perhaps one of the most honest and effective anti-war songs to come along in quite a while; avoiding politics and appealing to the humanity within everyone regardless of their stance on the war. But just when you think your heart is going to break from listening to that song, along comes "Black Wind Blowing", a pitch black tale of murder and revenge between two brothers that will send chills up and down your spine. These songs are the heart of darkness on this album. They form a trifecta of agony and despair that is unlike anything the troubador has turned out before. The rest of the songs are stellar as well, but don't expect hook laden folk songs which has been Jennings' style. The songs here are very basic and they are not filled with catchy melodies. That is probably by design since that forces the listener to hone in on the lyrical content. As for the music, it matches the subject matter perfectly. Each song is stripped down to the bare bones essentials: guitar (electric or acoustic), drums and bass. There is no fancy polish or window dressing on these bitter pills. Jennings wants these songs to be tough to swallow. Indeed they are. Blood of man is a remarkable album from a remarkable talent. It's proof that Mason Jennings is first and foremost an artist who won't compromise his vision. This dark gem may not rank as his best album, but it may be the hardest to shake.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Give & Get Blood November 19, 2009

By The Online Cowboy

Format:Audio CD

Just when I think Mason Jennings is going to "top out" with his previous release, he continues to grow and get better with each successive release, it's really quite impressive. This album has reinforced in me that Mason Jennings is now quite possible at the height of his powers. The music and melodies on this newest recording is really fantastic. To describe its sound I would use the word dry, not raw. It's really well produced and it has an excellent track sequencing. Another interesting aspect here is how Mason himself sounds. His voice is a bit more Lou Reed like and it really comes off well and fresh. It's so great to see Mason Jennings become another hometown great to Minneapolis.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars hooray for hidden gems! October 31, 2009

By Elizabeth A. Woolwine

Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase

i have never done a review before but 'blood of man' impressed me so much and had so few reviews i just have to drop in my 2 cents...

i was on the lookout for new music and this was one of the amazon recommendations based on my purchasing history (m83's saturday = youth, michael penn, clear tigers, decoder ring). i had no previous knowledge of mason jennings but there was something ominously beautiful about the album cover. so i previewed the album. what followed deffinitely did the album cover justice. by track 3 i was ready to purchase.

the greatest thing about this album is that unlike its genre peers it doesn't try to be anything more than just simple, poiniant, melodic. sure some of the tracks have a point to make (the feild) but the message doesn't take away from the beauty of the song. 'sing out' melted my heart and 3/4 of the way through the final track i was eager to listen to it all again. its just one of those albums.

'blood of man' was such a pleasant surprise. its one of those albums you can listen to over and over. and i have. i hope more people purchase this album - i can't believe something so great has so few reviews.