Real Heart
Loosegroove, 2022
9/10
The veteran Twin Cities singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mason Jennings returns with a forthright folk record, where Stone Gossard and Regan Hagar’s presence on production helps capture a tone of pure warmth and intimacy.
“Tomorrow” starts the listen, and welcomes warm acoustic guitar as Jennings’ dreamy voice brings a poetic quality to the introspective opener, and the title track follows with graceful piano amid the expressive singing.
Moving towards the middle, “On The Brink” offers a elegantly textured, folk friendly album highlight that recruits soft trumpet, while “The Demon” emits a hypnotic and hazy display of sparse beauty. “The Game” then showcases Keith Lowe’s low bass and Hans Teuber’s cozy accordion in the eclectic and inviting climate.
Near to the end, the subtle flute of “Faded” adds even more allure to the acoustic guitar and vivid storytelling, and “How Many Days” exits with punchy drumming from Jeff Busch alongside a scrappy, more rock’n’roll focused exit.
I’m a little ashamed to say that I’ve never listened to a Mason Jennings record before or seen him play live, despite venturing to hundreds of concerts in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area for 30+ years. Turns out I was missing out, cause his honest and genuine brand of folk-rock is quite impressive.
Travels well with: G. Love- The Juice; Joe Pug- The Flood In Color