Adam Masterson Dares to Be Different with Time Bomb

Adam Masterson 2023 B&W Promo — Credit: Anna Gabriel

West London-born and New York-based rocker Adam Masterson latest album, Time Bomb, is coming out on February 17th. This is the follow-up to his 2020 EP, Delayed Fuse, and his 2003 debut album One Tale Too Many. Last month Masterson released his latest single “Take A Little Love” from the album leading up to the album’s release. Previously he shared the singles, “Crazy Rain,” “Avenue Walk”, “Bring Back The Freaks,” and “Runaway.”

The singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist produced all the tracks on the album with an impressive list of co-producers and mix engineers including James Hallawell (The Waterboys/Graham Parker), Tchad Blake (The Black Keyes, Sheryl Crow), Sean Genocky (The Black Crowes, Richard Ashcroft), Ron Saint Germain (Soundgarden, 311), Dave O’Donnell (James Taylor, Keith Richards), Craig Dreyer (Pete Francis, Dispatch), and Paul Stacey (Oasis, The Black Crowes).

Collaborating on the album with Masterson was Charlie Jones (Goldfrapp, Robert Plant & Jimmy Page), Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols) and Brett Bass (Gregg Allman) on bass, Leo Abrahams (Paolo Nutini, Regina Spektor) and David Rhodes (Peter Gabriel, Scott Walker) on guitars, Charlie Drayton (The Cult, Divinyls), Jeremy Stacey (King Crimson, Ryan Adams)and Omar Hakim (David Bowie, Journey) on drums, Peter Tickell (Sting) on mandolin and violin, and Rob Clores (Jesse Malin, Charli XCX) and Ben Stivers (Lyle Lovett, Matchbox Twenty) on piano, among others.

What stands out most on Time Bomb is Masterson’s unique voice. It possesses just that slight touch of roughness to it that reminds one of singers like Bruce Springsteen and Joe Cocker. It’s these vocals that are the foundation of the album. The music just hangs in the background giving Masterson space to tell his stories.

Time Bomb starts off with the title track and maintains a slow rock tempo for most of the album, until Masterson speeds thing up with “Wild Wolves”. “Rusty Cans and Dusty Alleys” is the song that stands out the most to me. It starts with a harmonica intro and is driven by a classic country alternating bass line. It gradually builds in intensity with the addition of layers of piano and guitar stacked on top of each other. The highlight of the song is the classic ’50s style guitar solo. This all sets the background for Masterson’s brilliant lyrics.

Speaking of the album and recent single Masterson shares, “My new single ‘Take A Little Love’ was a fun one to record. I wrote the song with my friend James Stevenson (GenX, Gene Loved Jezebel) and the band sounds great on it. I’m also very happy to announce that my new album Time Bomb will be out on February 17th. It features some tracks off my last EP as well as many unreleased songs that I’m looking forward to sharing with everyone. After so long, it’s very exciting to be putting out a full body of work.”

Masterson website bio says “I don’t fit in. It’s my greatest blessing. If there was a musical niche, clique, or scene where I could’ve fit in, I would’ve gotten bored and probably quit a long time ago. All of the awkwardness and rejection makes being on stage the only place to be. It’s a gas.” That is the beauty of this album, it is unique work that is hard to define which is totally different from anything else you will find in the current music landscape.

Time Bomb is out Friday, February 17.

Follow Adam Masterson: Website // Facebook // Instagram // Spotify // Apple Music // YouTube

Post by Scott Raymer (Website | Instagram | Facebook)

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