“Typical Patrick Watson: beautifully and meticulously crafted”
Adventures In Your Own Backyard
Montreal, QC
(Secret City Records)
There’s something about Patrick Watson that completely stills everything. His gentle vocals quiet the room. The melodious and meticulous piano brings sweet calm to the harshest storm. Watson’s newest album, Adventures In Your Own Backyard, proves that he is consistently maintaining himself as one of the most brilliant modern artists in North America.
There could not be a better opener for this record than “Lighthouse,” a gentle, lush introduction into Watson’s darkness, eventually leading into a hopeful crescendo of unrepentant horns, kind strings and those elegant, floating vocals. Watson’s collaboration with fellow musician Robbie Kuster fleshes out the beautifully-crafted track “Blackwind.” Clearly influenced by late 1960s pop, “Into Giants” is a stark contrast to the earlier tracks, with endearing, resilient lyrics: “Grew so tall our heads hit ceilings/Trouble seemed so small, outgrew all the doors and walls/We never needed any plans, for ends to meet again/Started as lovers, don’t know where it’s gonna end…” So simple, yet so glorious. With this album, Watson’s future plans involve embarking on a tour with multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird. It seems this man cannot disappoint.
Engineered and Mixed by Rob Heany and Patrick Watson
Mastered by Harris Neuman
Recorded at Patrick Watson’s Home Studio