"...12 glorious tracks which have instant appeal"

Had Wayne Mason only written New Zealand’s official most popular song, Nature, almost 40 years ago, he would still be a legend. During his years with the Fourmyula, Rocking Horse and the Warratahs, Mason has honed his songwriting craft to put him on the top rung alongside the Finns and Don McGlashan .

This is the third album under Mason’s own name and the first with the Fallen Angels, which includes long-time musical cohort Clinton Brown on bass.

Inspired by the directness and honesty in Brit Billy Bragg’s songs, Mason bares his soul on 12 glorious tracks, which have instant appeal. The melodies are timeless – largely acoustic-based pop tunes serving up dark lyrics. “Took a while to get to know loneliness/It used to hide round the side of the house,” and “So depressed I couldn’t even get dressed”. Mason hasn’t let the darkness dim his wit, talking of a “lens fatale” and “Einstein got it relatively right”. In Plates, which was recorded in one take and has the ambience of a Daniel Lanois production, he delivers the great line “Painting pictures I thought were real/Only to find the paint was peeled”.

His vocals are assured with a road-weariness that perfectly suits his songs. The band is right with him and the production has a warmth I like.

As good as anything I have heard for ages, and I mean from anywhere.