If you start Brent Mason’s newest album and think you know what to expect, you’d be wrong. Fireflies is an eccentric mix of tracks that somehow all fit nicely together- all written from the relative comfort of a converted chicken coop in Mason’s backyard.
After a bad accident nearly took the life of Mason’s son, there was a several-month period where he and his wife needed to be home to care for him. This led Mason to converting the old, empty chicken coop in his backyard, its previous tenants having been killed by what Mason refers to as the “Manson family of raccoons.”
“Essentially it was a space for me where I was trying to deal with a lot both emotionally and psychologically,” says Mason. “Both personally and in the world. It’s why the album is called Fireflies. They’re little lights of hope that would float outside my chicken coop while I would sit and right with a scotch and my dog at my side.”
Mason aims to hook right from the start with “Running Out Of Road.” It’s the frantic soundtrack of a thrilling heist straight out of the 50’s, with vintage influences clear in the sound. “Start the car,” Mason sings, while the muted guitar sounds like the faint rumble of an engine. With it, he hits the ground running.
Though that momentum doesn’t necessarily last. While the album is punctuated by high energy tracks like “Deja Blues”, it’s also rooted in more simplistic country-influenced songs. Mason spends a lot of time reflecting on the own events in his life, channelling his feelings on the mortality of almost losing a loved one with “Not Blessed Just Lucky.” Beyond that, he also grapples with the a few more political topics.
“There were a lot of things happening in the world and in America,” says Mason. “And even amongst people I know. I’ve seen people advocating ideas and perspectives that I’d assumed died in 1945.”
This brought about tracks like “Monticello”, which was written during the time of the “Unite The Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. He also offers a general bit of advice to people advocating for antiquated ideals on “Give Your Head A Shake.” Though he’s expressing some pretty passionate viewpoints, he always does so with the calm familiarity of an old friend around a kitchen table.
It’s clear that Mason’s songwriting is the driving force behind his work. Most tracks have him singing his heart out over a fairly typical backing of fervent guitar and harmonica. While he definitely does so with clear skill, it’s the tracks where he strays from the beaten path that particularly stand out. The gritty “White Rats” lets the instrumental chops of collaborators like Grant Heckman and Mike Biggar truly shine. Meanwhile the jazzy “Frogs In A Pot” sounds like something straight out of the swampy bayou of New Orleans.
This melding of style makes the album feel like a true reflection of life. Mason balances life lessons with more fast-paced crowd-pleasers. “Cold Love” has all the crisp ache of a freezing winter’s night, with Mason offering truly emotionally vulnerable vocals. It’s a far cry from the rock and roll thrill of the opening track, which makes it that much more impactful.
With the title track, Mason closes out the album by capturing the serene comfort of a summer night. The slow, dreamy pace feels reflective, somehow emulating the peaceful silence often found around a campfire. After all is said and done, Mason falls back on simpler times. Even the chorus keeps it simple, with Mason and vocalist Sheila Davidson pleading, “Blink, blink, blink, don’t go out.” If this album is a hectic summer’s day, “Fireflies” is the cold beer at the end of the night.