Album Review - The Sinner EP

Once again, I am using the facade of the "album review" title to review an EP. This time I am reviewing an EP that I actually have already listened to a lot, despite it only coming out a few days ago. Mason Black, a good friend of mine, has finally compiled his musical library together under one title for everyone. Each track has been released individually on various sites such as Soundcloud and Spotify, so I've had a good idea of what I was getting myself into. Regardless, I have decided to give the overall EP a review for you all.

01. More To Me

This was one of the first songs ever heard by Mason. He dubbed it as "more country", although I don't hear it as well as he seems to. The vocals, maybe, but the song is a very airy sounding pop track. The overall point of the song is to just be who you want to be no matter what people say about you. The song is actually what inspired the name of the EP. The irony of him being viewed as a sinner by others because of the way he chooses to live his life is one of the overlying themes of the track. This is the perfect song to figure out what Mason is all about. I have to say that it isn't my favorite track on the release -- it has an important message but it doesn't get stuck in your head as well as his other tunes.

02. My First Time

The second this track hit the net, he made sure I had this song. Unlike the rest of the album, this song has a very positive feel to it, and was actually written about a happy time in his life. The song is about exactly what you would think of with a title like that -- well sort of. The lyrics explain that someone has treated him so well that it made him feel like a virgin all over again. I don't know if he was purposely channeling Madonna with this one, but the gay inside of me just can't resist thinking so. I have to say that this is my absolute favorite Mason Black song to date.

03. Showdown

Being a single on iTunes, this track already had a lot of exposure. I wasn't sure how to feel about this song. It is so different from the rest of his material, both in sound and in content. It doesn't feel as real as the other tracks. I am not saying the song is bad, and it has actually grown on me quite a bit over the months, and it definitely feels more at home snuggled up in the middle of the EP, but I can't help feeling a bit at odds with it.

04. Jack The Ripper

I find myself singing this song more than any other song lately. I'm not sure why, but the sexy feel of the track, paired with the vague lyrics that can be left to interpretation in many different ways just make this song an instant winner. Let it be known that for full enjoyment of this song it needs to be listened to with good speakers in either a car or high quality headphones. The track follows the tale of Mason falling in love with someone who ripped him apart -- or is it he ripped himself apart? He still won't tell me who the real "killer" is in the song, but it is part of the song's charm.

05. Cruel Embrace

This is the most radio-ready song of the bunch. I have said it time and time again that this song is so incredibly relatable that it is kind of scary. That one person you love but they just can't figure out how to love you back. We have all been in a situation like that. It literally blows my mind that this song hasn't exploded. It has a raw emotion that other popular songs thrive on. This is the song that made me platonically fall in love with Mason and I have had a platonic obsession ever since. Platonically.

06. Wish You The Best (Brand New Lover)

The newest song of the six, this track rounds out the EP quite nicely. I have dubbed this song the sequel to "My First Time", as it is about a breakup that is not exactly a hardship. It describes a mutual break up where both people are hoping for the best for the other person. This song has a more mainstream feel to it, while still having the signature Mason Black lyrics -- by that I mean that he cuts up his sentences in new and strange ways to make what he wants to say fit the music, something I haven't seen done (well) since Utada Hikaru tried to be American.

Some may say that my opinions may be swayed due to me being friends with him, but I only became friends with him after discovering his music. It was the music I liked first. It just so happens that he is very accessible and very friendly to his fans. If you message him, more than likely he will message you back. In this technological age I can't stress how important it is for people to take advantage of Facebook and Twitter to keep on good terms with the fans, and this guy is the master at it. Both talented and a genuinely nice guy, he has the makings to become the next big thing in pop music.