solo music.
Below you will find various solo albums under the name “Scott Masson”.
it follows me
Released October 31, 2024
By Scott Masson. Autumn, 2024. ©2024PublicTreatments (ASCAP).
Here’s a haunted song for your Halloween playlist / late-autumn musical consideration.
This piece of music is based on a true story of an actual poltergeist that took place in Jackson, MI back in the ‘80s. It was my attempt to pay tribute to the old seasonal novelty songs of yesteryear like “Monster Mash”, “The Munster’s Theme”, “Adams Family”, “Thriller”, “Purpler People Eater”, etc….but to create a much more bizarre and experimental approach for a contemporary-type of song. I even ran my voice through AI to displace my own vocal performance and bring it into a more possessed and freakish realm. 🤪
The first section is a short exercise in spooky sound design, using field recordings and found audio from the internet. The second part of the song is the actual musical poem, telling the story of this particular Jackson, MI poltergeist. The coda section was inspired by spooky '80s films from my childhood. Hope you enjoy it, and I hope it totally weirds you out. 🎃
among us
©2024 Public Treatments (ASCAP).
This two-piece composition was mostly “live” and improvised in my studio over the course of a day in March, 2024. It was inspired by my high school students that I teach, and the sci-fi online video game they all play together in class.
Songs:
Crewmates Scatter Throughout the Ship To Complete Each Task
Imposters Drop Into the Ventilation Ducts While Shapeshifting Into Eternity
candy cobwebs
©2023 Public Treatments (ASCAP).
Written and recorded by Scott Masson during the week of Oct 29th, 2023. Mixed and mastered very quickly in one day. All instruments by Scott. Ambient sounds courtesy of Mr. Jensen's music students.
This is supposed to be music that you'd put on during the Halloween period.
Love, Scott
Songs:
Zombie Swamp
Never-Ending Pumpkin Patches
The Black Cauldron
pink oil
Written, arranged, performed, produced, mixed, and mastered (analog outboard gear, and digital tools) by Scott Masson. Additional mixing and production input from Chris Koltay in 2014. Album transferred to tape by 460 Sound Studio in Georgia. Bonus tracks put to tape by Scott at home. ©2014 Public Treatments.
Recorded in Ferndale, MI between 2011-2014. Some acoustic demos recorded in Milford, MI. Album art: "Pink Self-Portrait" by Scott Masson (updated from original non-finished 2014 art).
All instruments played by Scott Masson.
Additional musicians:
Kip Donlon - backing vocals on "Mr. Sketch".
Laura Finlay - backing vocals on "Pink Oil".
Alice Masson - spoken word on "The Only Witness". Available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms now.
Songs:
Pink Oil
Sweet Chrissy
Saint Fina
Olga’s Salon
The Only Witness
Blue Valley Fog
I Can Tell
Grimsby’s Silver Circus
Mr. Sketch
Derelict Debonair
The Coda Begins
Making The Rounds
blue oil
Written, arranged, performed, produced, mixed, and mastered (analog outboard gear, and digital tools) by Scott Masson. Track 6, 7, and 13 co-written with Rachel Kayuk.
Recorded in Ferndale, MI between 2011-2014 while working on the pop album “Pink Oil”. Album art: "Blue Self-Portrait" by Scott Masson.
All instruments played by Scott Masson.
Guests:
Rachel Kayuk: (vocals, flute, guitar, percussions, machines) - Track 6, 7, and 13.
Ray Thompson: tenor sax, bari sax - track 5
Sissy dog: barking on track 13. Inspiration.
Lucky: vocals/ spoken word on track 12.
Compositions:
Unchill Sunday
The Neighbors Are Knockin’
Samuel
Cocoon
Let’s Go Out
Let’s Make One for the Skymall
Sweet Chrissy of the Skymall
The Piano Is Flooded (Take One)
The Auto Industry
Adobe Creative Sweet
Gramophone (Take One)
Lucky Conversation
Cute Sissy Dog of the Skymall
The Meat Industry
Derelict Debonair (Take One)
Nobody Told Me (John Lennon)
yellow oil
Written, arranged, performed, produced, mixed, and mastered (analog outboard gear, and digital tools) by Scott Masson. ©2013 Public Treatments. Random compositions I was commissioned to create for car commercials, various film projects, or music that was turned down by the ad agency world.
All compositions written and recorded by Scott Masson, except for "Hail to the Victors" (traditional), and "Carol of the Bells" (traditional).
Recorded in Ferndale, MI between 2011-2014 while working on the pop album “Pink Oil”. Album art: "Yellow Self-Portrait" by Scott Masson.
All instruments played by Scott Masson.
Compositions:
Jack Trance
Morning Coffee
Milford Road
Baby Blue Cadillac
Julian Trance
Smooth Ride (Screwed and Chopped)
Desert Trance
Surfing With the Tigers
A Really Nice Car (Silver Cadillac)
Noodle King (aka…”Slurp Song”…featuring Blaksmith)
Country Drive
Hail to the Victors (University of Michigan Fight Song)
Carol of the Bells
gray oil
Written, arranged, performed, produced, mixed, and mastered (analog outboard gear, and digital tools) by Scott Masson. All compositions performed on iPad by Scott Masson. ©2012 Public Treatments (ASCAP). Honestly, I made this weird material late at night while I was taking breaks from writing lyrics to my real songs. I thought it’d be interesting music one could play in the background while they’re handing out candy on Halloween, or setting up scary decorations in the autumn. Some of it sounds pretty “haunted”.
Recorded in Ferndale, MI between 2011-2014 while working on the pop album “Pink Oil”. Album art: "Gray Self-Portrait" by Scott Masson.
All sounds by Scott Masson. Guest vocals on “Google Yourself”: Katie Barkel.
Compositions:
Whisper Through the Tweeter Before You Blow the Woofer
Blackbird Murmuration
Google Yourself (Page Not Found)
Fuel Cells
Cabin in the Woods
Apple Choir
I Don’t Know Where I Am
momentarily bewitched
Written and produced by Scott Masson. Mixed by Chris Koltay and Scott Masson. Hit to 2” and 1/4” tape by Chris Koltay. Mastered by Jim Kissling. ©2020 Public Treatments (ASCAP). Available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms now. Artwork and photography (Iceland) by Scott.
Songs:
The Walk Man
Alone Together
Visitations From Brad Miner In B Minor
Sherman Case Discusses the Importance of Nature (Interlude)
Auto-Eye
Echo In The Haze
Vape City
Macro-Dose No. 40
Green Wayward Eyes
New Flesh And Blood
Everyone Spoke
Harper’s Bizarre (Instrumental)
Momentarily Bewitched
Black Sand Beaches
Mood
portastudio hissy fit
©1994 Public Treatments (ASCAP).
Early cassette recordings of songs and compositions recorded in the realm of 1994, when Scott first started using a dual tape deck, Casio MT-540, Boss RV3 reverb/delay pedal, SM58, and a Tascam Porta 03 studio recorder. All tracks recorded in Scott’s bedroom and basement in Milford, MI. Scott was still learning how to play instruments at this time, as well as searching for a so-called “voice”. There is some charm found within these early sketches, despite the results being so incredibly raw. “First Melody”, which was done in 1992 or ‘93 at Milford Music during a guitar lesson, represents Scott’s first melody ever written. His guitar teacher, Tim Twiss, had assigned him a homework lesson that week: “write a melody over an original chord progression”, and this recording was the result. Scott’s life-long journey into songwriting and composition began with this composition, which is why it’s being included in this compilation.
All instruments, voices, and sounds made by Scott Masson.
Photograph taken at Hamtramck House in Detroit, MI 1995.
Songs:
First Melody
Casio Waltz
Radio Shack
Rain Dance
Who Knows
Beauty Bongos
Yischmadi
Problem Pumpkin
Disaster Casio
Brass Ends
Frusciante Blues
Chubby Makes the Heart Go Farther
Ants on a Log
No Streets
Homecoming Blues
Have A Nice Day
Haunted Tree
Rock Me Slower
So High
Silver Mud
Resemble
Hissy Fit Direction
Vegetarian Samba
freestyle fresco
Although these are not my earliest recordings, “Freestyle Fresco” represents my first attempts at “songwriting” and audio collage. It’s also the first time in my life I was able to construct a large body of original material that shared common lyrical themes, musical styles, instrumental colors, and production choices. The naiveté and rawness on this album was not an aesthetic “choice”; it was natural. I was 16 years old, and I didn’t fully understand “craft”, revision, polishing, or editing. I’d just set up my two mics, quickly write a song in my head, twist the knobs on my Boss RV3, and “improvise” the instrumental parts while the cassette tape was rolling. The same went for my lyrics and vocals. Since I had never really written proper songs before this point, all of my words, vocal melodies, and images would just present themselves on the spot…in sort of a “freestyle” fashion. The music would always dictate how my vocals were performed. I can compare the entire process to painting a mural on wet plaster…like creating a traditional “fresco”. No time to think, second-guess oneself, or over-analyze logistics. Just work extremely fast, don’t make too many decisions, keep the mistakes in, and commit to the first idea that pops in your head. This is truly music from the sub-conscious. - Scott
released September 19, 1996
All songs written and recorded by Scott Masson. Recorded on a Tascam 4-track in a basement and bedroom, Milford, MI. ©1996 Public Treatments (ASCAP).
Tracks 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, and 15 are the original cassette mixes done in 1996 (the original master tapes were lost, taped-over, or damaged).
Tracks 2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, and 16 were mixed in 2023.
All instruments, vocals, and sounds by Scott Masson.
Songs:
Honest Gentleman
Let It Be My Epitaph
Iron Ring
RV3 Reflux
Captain Jizz
Daggers by the Dozen
Coins
The Smell of Money
Erector Set
Distorted Dinosaur
Scarf and Barf
Basement Classical
Mouth
Winter Head
Tall Stranger
King of Burlington
atlantic
This is one-of-two albums I made in 1996-1997. Recorded (mostly) on cassette 4-track in 1996-1997 with two microphones. Track 1 and 11 were recorded at Woodshed Studios, with Tim Pak engineering. The masters for Track 1 and 11 are long gone, so those two songs are the original mixes that were salvaged from a DAT tape backup I made during that session. Everything else was recorded in my basement and bedroom at 721 Atlantic in Milford, MI....and remixed in 2023. Despite how haphazard a lot of these recordings were originally done when I was 17 and 18 years old, I hope you will find them as entertaining and charming as I do.
All songs written, produced, mixed, and mastered by Scott Masson. Artwork by Scott Masson. Photo taken on the beach with Chris Masson in 1997. St. Croix, Virgin Islands.
©1997 Public Treatments (ASCAP).
Available on all streaming platforms, week of Feb. 24, 2023.
Songs:
Ice Storm
Fair Ellen
Gala
Infant Specialty
Ruled By Numbers
Paint By Numbers
Come To Me
Insomnia (I Walk Tonight)
Summer Head
Get You Out (It’s Mine)
Silent Miss Monochrome
Broken Valentine Waltz
Lanugo
out in the cornfield
This album was never released when I made it, but I’m glad to get it out in late 2022. All songs were written and produced by me in 1997-1998. I was around 19 years old. I still might put all of this music into some type of compilation/physical release, or small vinyl increments at some point with a label.
The songs on this album were created during my first year and a half in college, when I was first taking art classes. It was also the year I started taking my musical compositions into a slightly more sophisticated realm than what I had been doing in high school. I started exploring this material at the College of Wooster, which is in a small town surrounded by miles and miles of cornfields. The process continued throughout the summer and into the fall of ‘98, when I finally transferred to Kalamazoo College. Recorded on Tascam cassette 4-track in Milford and Kalamazoo, MI. All tracks were remixed in 2022 from the original 4-track analog tapes. Some of these tapes were literally falling apart when I dumped them into the computer. All those strange effects were printed onto tape when I originally recorded them, for better or worse. You’ll be able to hear some serious tape degradation on some of these songs, but that is part of the history and charm of this batch of recordings. To this day, I only record when I’m inspired. Back in 1998, I wouldn’t fuss with how well things were documented onto tape. I’d just point my handful of inexpensive mics in the direction of the sounds, explore different spacial techniques in the bedroom or basement, or sometimes plug an instrument directly into the tape machine. Sometimes I’d “red-line” signals because I wanted it to sound gnarlier. If I didn’t have enough money for new tapes, I’d just tape over a cassette I had lying around that I wasn’t listening to. Sometimes I’d even use one of my mom’s old aerobic dancing instruction tapes from the 80s. I was just going for a “feel” in my headphones, seeing as I didn’t have many skills, money, or equipment. These are the highest-quality versions of these songs that have ever been put together into a reasonable mix, so hopefully the “lofi” nature isn’t too off-putting. I’d rather have this music out there in the world, than having it rot in my basement. Some of this music is very haunted, but I was sort of haunted when I made it. After dropping out of Wooster, I was slicing meat at a deli in Milford, taking classes at OCC while I waited to transfer to Kalamazoo. This was my first foray into some serious clinical depression and anxiety issues, so some of the music obviously reflects that.
All songs mastered through the Overstayer MAS by Scott Masson. All instruments and sounds by Scott Masson, accept vocals on Track 4 by Jen Collier. All song written by Scott Masson (1998 Public Treatments), except for “Kalamazoo Collage” (written by Scott Masson, with Jen Collier’s vocal melody and lyrics). Artwork by Scott Masson. The drawing was done in Wooster, OH in 1998 during my freshman year of college. It was done during a live “figure drawing” session. The quick, dirty, impressionistic nature of the drawing best represents how the music was made….fast, gnarly, and inspired. All songs ©1998 Public Treatments (ASCAP).
Available on all streaming platforms, week of December 21st, 2022.
Songs:
Broken Valentine
Kissing the Scarecrow
Dragon Fire
Kalamazoo Collage
Funhouse Mirrors
Fireflies
Classroom Poetry
Torrential Pour
Driving Backwards Down Westnedge
I in My Liquid Eye
My Lavish Ship
Torrential Pour (Reprise)
Cordially Crimson Queen
new cross sunrise
This album was never released until 2022. All songs written and produced by Scott Masson in 1998-1999. Recorded on Tascam cassette 4-track. Tracks 4, 6, and 12 were recorded at Woodshed Studios with Tim Pak engineering, but never finished. Those three Woodshed masters are long gone, but these versions were the best-quality mixes I had in my archives. All other tracks were remixed in 2022 by Scott Masson from the original 4-track analog tapes. All songs mastered through the Overstayer MAS by Scott Masson. All instruments and sounds by Scott Masson, except flute on Track 11 by Jamison Harper, and handclaps on Track 4 by Isaac Perry and Jeremy Freer. Artwork by Scott Masson. Image taken at Woodshed Studios by Tim Pak in 1999. All songs ©1999 Public Treatments (ASCAP).
Available on all streaming platforms, week of November 23, 2022.
Songs:
New Cross Sunrise
Circus
Study Abroad
Paint the City and Faces with Yellow (Rough Mix Alley Version)
Dead Man with Dirty Hands
Twelve Months (Rough Mix Alley Version)
In the Back of Stetson
Red and Green Bastards
Century Ballad
Angela of the Angels
Kalamazoo Gel Tabs
Singh Zu (Rough Mix Alley Version)
Traffic Jams
ghost mall
Written and produced by Scott Masson. Mixed, hit to cassette, and mastered by Scott. Just a bizarre “memory tech” instrumental using only Boss DR-55 drum machine sounds, Arp Oddyssey sounds, and a microphone. ©2021 Public Treatments (ASCAP). Available on Bandcamp and all streaming platforms now.
the meat industry - audio collage
Written and produced by Scott Masson. An audio collage using instruments, machines, samples of slaughter houses, chainsaws, factories, and animal noises.