Certain independent artists remain "independent" because they're not any good. Others just haven't met the right people yet. But there are some artists that, after listening to them, leave you wondering, "Why aren't they signed?" Chris Mason is one of those artists. His new EP, Songs One Through Six, is an addictive mix of songs that spans the different genre landscapes of rock, acoustic, and folk. All of the songs somehow seem to mesh together, which allows the listener to appreciate the full project, because there is something unique in every song.

"Waiting," like the rest of the songs on this album, benefits greatly from the musical influence of producers Andrew Osenga and Cason Cooley (The Normals). A love song of epic proportions, Mason sings, "My heart needs rescuing. It's covered in loss. My dear you came to me, humming a song. It was your love - it lifted me." The sweet sound of harmonica in "Waiting" blends well with Mason's mellow voice and Cason's piano accompaniment, giving the song a great southern vibe.

"Precious Lord, Thy Mercy Come," is the best song on the disc. It reminds me of Jeff Buckley's version of "Hallelujah" in the way both tracks let music take a backseat to the words and message of the song. Mason sings, "O' joyful day when this life ends. We'll turn our gaze from earth to heaven's. And in glory we will sing as one. Precious Lord, Thy mercy come." This song alone makes the album worth buying.

While I can't spend all of my time finding independent music to review, I'm glad I discovered Chris Mason and Songs One Through Six. This is a very good release form an artist who I'll be paying close attention to in the coming years.

- Review date: 3/2/06, written by Andrew Shaw