Steve Mason: Boys Outside

"Just be yourself" may be cliched but Steve Mason's decision to ditch his musical aliases – King Biscuit Time and Black Affair – could be the making of him. Marrying tracks composed on acoustic guitar by the former Beta Band frontman with production from electropop maestro Richard X, Boys Outside is a stripped-back exploration of Mason's depression and romantic disappointment which teems with joy and catchy choruses. With echoes of early Beta Band material such as "Dry the Rain", this poignant album finds Mason finally living up to his early promise.