Richmond, Virginia (Top40 Charts/
Mason Brothers Official Website) - Native Richmonders
Mason Brothers have announced the official record release concert date for their critically-acclaimed debut album The Sun, the Moon & the Sea. The concert will take place at the Camel in Richmond, Virginia on
Thursday May 8, 2008 at 8pm. Also performing at the show will be
David Shultz, Pete Appleby (of Memorial), and Josh Scolaro (of Brice Woodall and the Positrons). For $10 at the door, attendants receive: admittance to the concert, a copy of The Sun, the Moon & the Sea, and a copy of
James Mason's solo release from 2003, Carnival Sky. For those who may already have the albums, admission is just $5 at the door.
In February 2008, Mason Brothers' debut quietly became available online and a surprising number of CD sales and promo requests followed over the next several weeks, coming from all over the United States, as well as other countries across the globe, including France, England, Spain, Australia, Belgium and Canada. Early reviews of The Sun, the Moon & the Sea from music journalists and bloggers have been overwhelmingly positive, describing the album as 'gorgeous cinematic folk music, rich and deliberately crafted, with guitars and voices woven tightly together. It's something a visionary movie director would do well to notice.'
Brothers Christian and James have recently taken on jobs as instructors at Virginia Commonwealth University in Applied Mathematics and Writing, respectively. When asked if their advanced degrees and new jobs in academia influence their music, brother Christian replies, 'I'm sure it figures in there somehow. The histories of mathematics and music intertwine consistently, and you could say there's a non-pretentious literary bent to the lyrics.'
While finishing graduate school in 2007, brothers Christian and James Mason were also putting the finishing touches on their acoustic debut release The Sun, the Moon & the Sea. As Christian and James wrapped up their studies of Applied Mathematics and English Writing respectively, they would take weekend jaunts to nearby Centreville, Virginia to record their songs on the vintage, analog tape machines provided by longtime friend and collaborator Mike Reina.
Fans and reviewers compare the Mason Brothers work to artists such as Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, and Iron & Wine, but the brothers claim they're no one-trick pony, with two more albums' worth of material already in the tank which feature a variety of full band arrangements, including more up-tempo rock-oriented material. Says brother James, 'for the next record, as well as for live shows, we have songs that run the gamut, from Pink-Floyd-style space rock, to singer-songwriter numbers in the vein of Sea-Change-era Beck, Neil Young and Ryan Adams.'
This summer, Mason Brothers plan to do some touring, begin tracking for their follow up record, in addition to exploring recent offers and opportunities in television and film licensing.
