He may be young, but feted singer-songwriter Mason s debut album was a masterwork of plaintive, hobo sincerity, campfire intimacy and singalong acoustic cuts. Worldly-wise far beyond his 19 years, he had set himself a tough standard of folksy Americana to

He may be young, but feted singer-songwriter Mason's debut album was a masterwork of plaintive, hobo sincerity, campfire intimacy and singalong acoustic cuts.

Worldly-wise far beyond his 19 years, he had set himself a tough standard of folksy Americana to live up to.

This sophomore effort manages to reach those peaks at times, when his way with anthemic, finger-picked melody and affecting lyrics hits home, such as on the beautiful We Can Be Strong.

But the smoothed edges, choral backing and extra instruments may leave some fans pining for the less 'produced' sound of before.

Even so, there are plenty of gems to keep Mason's head above water. 4/5