Shaky Knees Announce 2014 Dates & Lineup: Modest Mouse, Edward Sharpe & More TBA
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Websites & Links: MasonJennings.com | YouTube
In no particular order.
Featuring new albums from The New Mastersounds, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Umphrey’s McGee, Atmosphere, Zach Deputy, Warren Haynes, My Morning Jacket, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Tea Leaf Green, Strange Arrangement, Mason Jennings, Primus, and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones.
Mason Jennings performs John Lennon’s “Child of Nature” on Minnesota Beatle Project Vol. 2
One-hundred percent of net proceeds from sales of the album benefit music and art education programs in Minnesota public schools. Purchase the CD on Target.com or on iTunes, Rhapsody, CD Baby or Amazon
MasonJennings.com | Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. 2 | Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. I
Jennings’ debut album, the self-released Mason Jennings, features just his voice and guitar, putting his talent for pop songwriting in the spotlight. Birds Flying Away, from 2000, saw him joined by a two-piece band. However, it wasn’t until Century Spring that he found a proper label to release his music. Jennings’ newest album is the moving and political Blood of Man. In this session, he discusses how he came to write his new songs, and describes how they relate to his previous work.
From Mason Jennings
Websites & Links: MasonJennings.com | YouTube | Mason Jennings
From the Artist“It all kinda started at Christmas when my sons and I were hanging ornaments on the tree. We have an ornament that is a little electric guitar and my six-year-old son was looking at it and asked, “What’s this Dad?” I said, “What??? It’s an electric guitar.” To which he replied, “What’s that?”
Well, I was kinda horrified so I ran downstairs and pulled out an old hollowbody electric (that is my wife’s), an amp and I came upstairs, plugged it in and ripped into “My Generation” by The Who. Well, my one son actually climbed me in point 2 seconds and leaped off my shoulders while the other one looked like I had plugged the lights on the tree into him. They flew around the room dancing for two straight wonderful hours. I got the point.
I grew up playing only electric and it was like remembering how to be free. For many reasons, it was so needed. So I got free. The next week I headed into my studio and recorded “City Of Ghosts” and away I went. I wrote about the war and being a parent in “The Field“, two topics close to my heart. I wrote about being a teenager and how heavy that time can feel and how it can shape the path you take. So, gratitude is in there somewhere. I wrote about doubts and fear, about God and Spirit, and about hope and possibility and things that are elusive and hard to name. I wrote mostly about them, and they came into the room like angels and beasts. This whole time I knew the record would be called Blood Of Man.
I also kept hearing two phrases in my head during recording. Maybe you can decipher them, for I know not where they come from or what they mean exactly: “Do you remember when the world was young?” and “In the beginning there was blood on the lamb.” Whew. I wrote about how hard it is to be 34 and be a parent and sane and married and true and positive and yourself and a man and funny and a decent person and a not decent person and human and in love. I turned the music up so loud so often that my ears rang every night.
I wrote about death, of course. I wrote about life. I wrote about pain and addiction. And I let it flow and left it raw. I worked fast and I let my heart lead. I guess I have come to the point in my life and my art where I just want to make music that I love and not mess with it. If people dig it: cool. If not: cool. I will be making it anyway. I have to. I realized that too. By the grace of god: I have to make music. More importantly: I get to. Also, before anything, I am a music listener.
So, this record has not been messed with in any way. What you have is exactly the music I listen to in my van and the way I have given it to my friends on CD-Rs. My hope is that it can help where help is needed. Music saved my life and I am so grateful for it.
Thank you for listening. Rock.”
Websites & Links: MasonJennings.com | Facebook | Twitter | Myspace | Archive.org
Mason Jennings – “Blood of Man” Short Film
Video ~ 10:43 min.
In this short film, director Barry Kimm visits Mason at his studio in Minnesota, illuminating the creative process behind his new record Blood Of Man.
Websites & Links
MasonJennings.com | Blood of Man
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Tea Leaf Green on July 25, 2009
1. Intro 2. Piss it Away > 3. Zoom Zoom 4. California > 5. Got No Friends > 6. Clark Shreds > 7. Hot Dog > 8. Kali-Yuga > 9. Devils Pay > 10. Carter > 11. Emma Lea > 12. If You Wanna > 13. Red Ribbons 14. Gasaholic
Umphrey’s McGee on July 25, 2009
1. Wappy Sprayberry > 2. Spires > 3. Blue Echo > 4. FF > 5. Mulche’s Odyssey 6. Pay the Snucka (Parts I & II) > 7. 2×2 8. Ringo > 9. Ocean Billy > 10. Ringo 11. Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’ 12. 1348 13. The Fuzz > 14. Ocean Billy