Mainstream drivel
It is an unfortunate testament to how memorable 'Save Myself' is that I did not equate the promo CD dropping through my door with a song I had heard on BBC Radio 6 many a time over recent weeks. It isn't that 'Save Myself' is a bad song exactly, it's just not good enough to make one look up and wonder 'what is that catchy sound emanating from the radio?'.
When heard as background music, Willy Mason's deep vocals and strumming guitars have a pleasant, almost summery feel that calmly blends into the background, perhaps eliciting a brief sing-along at the chorus. If one sits down and listens to the track properly however it quickly becomes clear that 'Save Myself' is quite possibly the most annoying song of 2007 so far. He seems unable to write an entire song's worth of lyrics in one go, so instead such original and exciting lines such as "save myself, save myself", "baby won't you come, baby won't you come" and "slow and steady, slow and steady" are repeated ad nauseum over a background of irritatingly bland guitars before eventually fading out.
You haven't escaped yet however, as with an attitude to B-sides that reflects the originality of his lyric-writing Willy Mason has decided to treat listeners to what seems to be an album version of the title track (the only difference being seventeen seconds of the same monotony) and an instrumental version, without any new songs thrown in. By the end of the third version it won't just be Mr. Mason wanting to save himself.