Celebrated singer/songwriter Mason Jennings is on tour in support of his new album Minnesota. Minnesota is Jennings’ ninth album and features the most eclectic and personal collection of songs he has created. The album’s overall theme focuses on the transition into adulthood as a musician, husband, and father. It is about realizing what is most important, and never losing sight of that, regardless of how difficult that can be. The nine songs take a deep look into what love really is and the trials and tribulations that come along with it in real life. Musically, Minnesota features a diverse range of songs and sounds, each of which represents the various elements that make up Jennings’ life at home and beyond. Minnesota was produced by Mason Jennings and recorded at his studio in Minnesota. Examiner.com caught up with Jennings while out on the road for a chat about the album and his tour.
With your 9th release, how did you approach this album in order to make it as good as it could be?
Going into the record I took a lot of tie in the studio writing a bunch of songs. Over about a year I wrote about 35 songs and recorded them. It took a lot of time to edit it down to the nine songs on the album. I really felt like I wanted every song to be able to hold its own on the record.
Do you feel that the songs on Minnesota really reflect your home adequately?
For sure. It’s eclectic in a way. But for me it’s all about my heart and my home. That theme kept coming up so I got to thinking that Minnesota is where my heart and home are. The last several years that I have lived here I kept getting a sort of collage feel and I think I reflected that pretty well in making the album feel like that for me.
Is it challenging for you being an independent artist and being on the road?
It’s gotten better. I really don’t feel that independent since I have such a great team around me. My management and booking agents are great. Working with Thirty Tigers has helped me out a lot. So, it feels more like a team than anything else.The internet has really changed music so I am able to be home more often whereas before I had to be out all the time to promote the album. Now it seems like people hear about you over the internet and the live stuff is just good to be able to do. There have been a lot of bigger crowds and people just keep hearing about the music. It just keeps growing and changing. Lots of new and different people coming to shows and it’s always there and available for anyone who is interested.
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