If the Ocean Gets Rough by Willy Mason

If the Ocean Gets Rough, Willy Mason's 2007 album on Virgin, follows Where the Humans Eat and keeps things close to the bone. Mason grew up in a musical family on Martha's Vineyard and had been playing and recording since the early 2000s, and this record sounds like it: traditional folk played without fuss, a voice that is plain, low and weathered beyond its years, and songs that take their time.

"Save Myself" is the standout, an unhurried, rolling tune that gets its power from restraint rather than volume. It's the kind of record that asks you to lean in, and it rewards anyone who does. The It's Easy to Talk EP came next.

Written with AI assistance from RockLists chart data, MusicBrainz and Wikipedia.