How nice it is to find a musician who doesn’t exhaust himself by releasing loads of overly long tracks! We find ten songs here, and not one of them exceeds four and a half minutes. The result is a beautiful, compelling album, Wave, that recalls the 1970s and 80s.
Patrick Watson has a gift for structure and a taste for purity, which he proved in his enchanting album Adventures in Your Own Backyard in 2012. This new ten-episode fresco is drenched in melancholy, and the minimalist piano parts reflect the neoclassical influence that seems to be invading everything today, led by the likes of Jean-Michel Blais (Watson’s compatriot) and Alexis Ffrench to Dirk Maassen and, to a lesser extent, Nils Frahm.
Patrick Watson - Dream For Dreaming (Official Video)
PatrickWatsonVEVOThe influence is perhaps most obvious in the pulsing, repetitive track Broken, which feels like a slow tarantella with a beautiful dramatic rise. The next track Turn Out the Lights heals and soothes, releasing any previous tensions, particularly thanks to the melodic contours and more varied instrumentation.
Patrick Watson - Melody Noir (Official Video)
PatrickWatsonVEVOThis new album Wave is largely homogeneous, enhanced by Patrick Watson’s husky, sensual voice. However, after the first nine nostalgia-tinged ethereal songs, one would never have expected such a lavish finale: Here Comes the River is like a present-day Imagine. It’s an unforgettable piece, and perhaps too short after all.
