Leah Mason’s highly anticipated debut album “HEXED” is one of the strongest pop debuts of the 2020s.
The Nashville-based singer spends 13 tracks relaying the trials and tribulations of the journey from adolescence to adulthood.
“HEXED,” the title and first track on the album, immediately draws the listener with the electric guitar. The lyrics detail Mason’s feelings of bad luck – referring to it as a “hex.” The chorus has the quintessential catchy rhyme in a pop song: “One time is a fluke/Twice is just bad luck/But three times is a pattern/And I’m sitting here like f*ck.”
Mason continues with upbeat pop rhythms and heartbreakingly honest lyrics on tracks “Kissing Friends” and “Insomnia.” She sings of relationships – both platonic and romantic – as she navigates her young adulthood. It’s incredibly vulnerable yet relatable for many.
The seventh track on the album is an optimistically sorrow ballad titled “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright.” The powerful vocals and candid lyrics are highlighted by the gentle piano accompaniment. It’s sonically different from the rest of the project yet proves Mason to be an incredible vocalist. The lyrics are optimistic, but the breathless manner she sings them in appears as though she is telling herself words of reassurance versus truths.
“Midas Touch” follows “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” as a showcase of lyrical and instrumental genius. After moving forward from such a strong, emotional track, “Midas Touch” still dwells in the emotion while bringing back the uplifting pop instrumentals.
The final track “Guilty Pleasure Place” ends the album on a comically honest note. The steady synth and guitar chords create the perfect song to perform live while the lyrics detail Mason’s fantasies of revenge on people who wronged her. The chorus goes: “And I / Put some nair in your shampoo / Replace your toothpaste with super glue / Sneak some poison in your perfume / Know I wouldn’t do it but I want to.”
At just 24-years-old, it’s clear Leah Mason has a long career ahead of her. “HEXED” is songwriting brilliance. Complicated emotions and relationships are detailed in metaphors and guitars, making it painstakingly relatable for anyone in their twenties.
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