CONTEST: Mason Brothers are Ready, set, go

Every once in awhile, Myspace sends me a little treasure that seems to have fallen from heaven right into my mailbox to make me believe that there is good music yet to be made. The latest little treasure is the gorgeous debut album from Richmond, Virginia's Mason Brothers. The Sun, The Moon and the Sea, is an album that conjures up all its namesakes by way of acoustic ballads laced with lap steel, percussion, and subtle piano flourishes, and the surprisingly velvet voices of brothers James and Christian Mason.

James released a solo CD in 2003 called Carnival Sky which featured his brother Christian on several tracks. The positive press and word of mouth publicity that the album garnered enticed them to work together on this album of moody (but not depressing), stark arrangements that recall Elliott Smith, and Nick Drake. I also hear a bit of The Grapes Of Wrath (how's that for an obscure Canadiana reference?) in their harmonies, which makes me nostalgic for all those great folk-pop records I haven't listened to in a good long time. No need to dust off the vinyl though, Mason Brothers fill the void quite nicely all on their own.

Mason Brothers "Ghost at the Wheel"
[The Sun, The Moon and the Sea, 2007, self-released]

myspace : hype machine : elbo.ws

I almost forgot to mention! I have a copy of this CD to giveaway to one lucky QBiM winner! Just sign up on the Quick Before It Melts Facebook Group (if you haven't already) and post a comment in the discussion thread called Mason Brothers CD. Contest closes Thursday, march 13 at 11:59 pm.