Those who have seen my workspace are familiar with the towering stack of albums perpetually looming within arm’s reach, waiting patiently for me to listen to them. Though it was once a dream of mine to have free records arrive in the mail on a daily basis, that reality has proven to have drawbacks—mainly; So many records (lots of them bad) and so little time. I realize this sounds annoying to pretty much everyone who’s currently jonesin’ for free records and has a strong moral backbone that prevents them from stealing music off the internet—for which I applaud you—so I’ll get to the point. When Willy Mason’s debut album Humans arrived unannounced at my desk, I gave it a spin without knowing what to expect. Mason’s Dylan-meets-Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash (and discovered by Coner “Bright Eyes” Oberst) voice—which belongs to a 21-year-old I believe—won me over instantly.

Mr. Mason (myspace.com/willymason) is currently touring to promote his new album If the Ocean Gets Rough and is back in town this Friday for a show at the Fillmore. Check it out: You won’t be disappointed. Livenation.com