Mason - Harbour (1971) (2000)

Originally from Virginia, Mason was another example of an American hard rock band that took its influences from the British underground and 1960s' psychedelic scene. This heavy rock album was initially released in 1971 through a tiny homemade pressing but through the years it has gained collectiblity and originals have fetched high prices as the band's reputation has spread among collectors. The album has been bootlegged a number of times over the past years with various covers in both CD and LP format. Mason's music combines the keyboard work of such bands as Deep Purple and the acoustics & complexity of Jethro Tull together with strong vocals, songwriting, and excellent instrumentation. All eight tracks on the album are originals, with six of them written by Jim Galyon and the other two co-written with Steve Arcese. Gear Fab legitimately released this album and included two bonus tracks written by Galyon. Digitally remastered and containing a brief history of the band, Harbour is a must for any heavy rock fan. Although Mason only lasted from 1968 to 1974, the band's musical legacy will continue this excellent reissue and will give fans of American music a chance to experience some of those long lost legendary albums that were, until recently, out of many music collectors' reach.