Patrick Watson
Close To Paradise
By Vish Khanna

Montreal whiz-kid Patrick Watson matches his grand ambition with visionary players to create a mesmerising orchestral pop record. The talented pianist writes songs as if they were short trips to the cinema and they each possess a transcendent aura. Watson’s voice is the first wonder here — a soaring, dynamic instrument that he wields like he’s been singing for a hundred years. On both the title track and “The Storm,” he closely resembles M. Ward and similarly attempts to create indie rock from the old world, as if such a thing truly existed. On “Daydreamer” he emotes like Antony, while a trippy rock pastiche swirls around him. A carnival-esque musical backdrop punctuates “Slip Into Your Skin,” as Watson employs Ron Sexsmith-style crooning. When the record hits its stride, the contributions of Watson’s multi-instrumentalist band-mates — Robbie Kuster, Mishka Stein, and Simon Angell — really come to the fore. “Weight of the World” features the soundtrack to a mad scientist scene in some cartoonish movie that Tim Burton might helm, and Watson’s creations begin to get a bit dizzying. “Luscious Life” is a feel-good radio anthem in waiting, with Watson’s soulful falsetto cooing airy proclamations and emoting like Hawksley Workman. With its steadily building orchestra of instrumentation and chorus of voices, “Drifters” begs to be given a chance to fill up an arena, while “The Great Escape” achieves an understated grace even though it hints at the bombastic balladry of Rufus Wainwright. Close to Paradise is a theatrical coming out party for Patrick Watson and it never fails to excite some new emotion within the listener; it’s just plain over the top. (Secret City)
Hold Steady - Boys and Girls in America
The Hold Steady’s trajectory is a perfect complement to the excellence they’ve demonstrated over their three albums. ...Read More
Acorn - Tin Fist
With this Ottawa, ON band keeping their second full-length tantalisingly at bay, this EP just ups the ante of that album by continuing their winning streak of melodic indie rock that, while familiar, also brims with confidence and originality. It’s as if with every release, the band seem to grow mor ...Read More
Gothic Archies - The Tragic Treasure: Songs from A Series of Unfortunate Events
When Stephin Merritt started the Gothic Archies, the intention was to write catchy songs where “any glimmer of hope is absolutely extinguished.” For most “Merrittphiles,” the moniker has been dormant for almost a decade, though since 1999 he’s been secretly writing songs for each audio book instalme ...Read More
Les Georges Leningrad - Sangue Puro
Montreal’s Les Georges Leningrad return sounding like vocalist Poney P has been swallowing daggers and their synthesisers are drowning in a swampy murk. Mastered by Peter J. Moore (the Sadies, Ugly Ducklings, Dee Dee Ramone), Sangue Puro, the band’s third full-length, sees this trio delving into a m ...Read More
Rock Plaza Central - Are We Not Horses
Long-time favourites in Toronto’s alt-folk community, Rock Plaza Central have quietly written a masterpiece with Are We Not Horses. The mantra, “I am an Excellent Steel Horse” contains definite Mountain Goat-isms in Chris Eaton’s deft wordplay and the song is simple yet captivating. John Darnielle’s ...Read More
5th Projekt - CiRCADiAN
65daysofstatic - One Time for All Time
Ad Astra Per Aspera - Catapult Calypso
Akron/Family - Meek Warrior
Avia Gardner - Mill Farm
Baby Eagle - Baby Eagle
Baby Eagle - Baby Eagle
Babyshambles / Various - Back to the Bus
Badly Drawn Boy - Born in the UK
Beck - The Information
Benjy Ferree - Leaving the Nest
Bettie Serveert - Bare Stripped Naked
Billy Klippert - Naked and the Simple Truth
The Blakhiv - Any Way She Wants It
Blops - Blops
The Blow - Paper Television
Boduf Songs - Lion Devours the Sun
Boom Pam - Boom Pam
Bright Eyes - Noise Floor (Rarities: 1998 – 2005)
Brush - Brush!?
Buffalo Killers - Buffalo Killers
Catfish Haven - Tell Me
Charlotte Gainsbourg - 5:55 / Darkel
Citizens Here & Abroad - Waving, Not Drowning
Damien Jurado - And Now That I’m in Your Shadow
David Celia - This Isn’t Here
The Delmontes - Carousel
Devastations - Coal
Fake Cops - Thundertheft
Feathers - Synchromy
Geisha Girls - Disappearing Act
The Good Good - Furrows
Grand Mal - Love Is the Best Con in Town
The Horrors - The Horrors
Ima Robot - Monument to the Masses
Imitation Electric Piano - Blow it Up, Burn it Down, Kick it ’Til it Bleeds
Jim Noir - Tower of Love
Joe Lally - There to Here
Jonas Bonnetta - Farewell to Harmony
Katamine - Lag
Keith - Red Thread
Kid Congo and the Pink Monkey Birds - Philosophy and Underwear
The Killers - Sam’s Town
Los Straitjackets - Tweet Party
Lotus Child - Gossip Diet
Lullabye Arkestra - Ampgrave
Matias - Summer
Mayor McCA - Cue Are Es Tea You
Mico - Our Living Language
Midlake - The Trials of Van Occupanther
My Morning Jacket - Okonokos
The New Sound of Numbers - Liberty Seeds
Nikki Sudden / Swell Maps - The Truth Doesn’t Matter / Wastrels and Whippersnappers
Partyline - Zombie Terrorist
Patrick Watson - Close To Paradise
Patrick Watson - Close To Paradise
Portastatic - Be Still Please
Receiver - Decades
Robyn Hitchcock & the Venus 3 - Olé! Tarantula
Scanners - Violence is Golden
Sean Lennon - Friendly Fire
Sigur Rós - Sæglópur
Sloan - Never Hear the End of It
Sprites - Modern Gameplay
Storyboard - Storyboard
Supers - Re:Arrange
Tamara Williamson - The Boat
Tell the Divers - A Knife Is Always a Good Plan B
Their Majesties - Lands where tales are tall
The Thermals - The Body, The Blood, The Machine
Tyde - Three’s Co.
Uncut - Modern Currencies
Unwed Sailor - The White Ox
Various Artists - The In-Kraut Vol. 2
Various Artists - Souvenirs from Egg Records
Various Artists - Out of Sound Records Compilation
The Walkmen - “Pussy Cats”
What Made Milwaukee Famous - Trying To Never Catch Up
Whitey - The Light At the End of the Tunnel is a Train
Misstress Barbara - Montreal, QC November 21
One of this city’s superstar DJs, Misstress Barbara specializes in big beats for the masses, and with her three-piece band Girls on a Ducati, she’s extending her house pop chops to a more traditional live setting. With a guitar and mic, as well as keys and effects, she’s a capable front-woman but he... Full Review
Transit / Man Overboard - Transit / Man Overboard
The deliberately lo-fi, yet earnest, split between Transit and Man Overboard sounds like the product of a bunch of friends growing up on punk and hardcore throughout the '90s. The hardcore leanings of Boston fivesome Transit lay the groundwork for the pop punk tendencies of the Jersey kids in Man Ov... Full Review
Crazy Heart Dir. by Scott Cooper
Crazy Heart, in which Jeff Bridges adds another career achievement notch on his belt as a down-to-his-last-drink country singer, might be more difficult to watch for musicians than for average moviegoers.

Bad Blake (Bridges), who's on the wrong side of 50, is hauling his truck ... Full Review
Social Networking
• Be our friend on MySpace
• Be our fan on Facebook
• Tweet us on twitter
Viewing the November 2006 Issue: • Contents Page • News • Click Hear • Articles --> On the Cover  •  Front Five  •  Points  •  Comics  •  Questionnaire  •  Research  •  Timeline  •  Videogames • Music Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Aggressive Tendencies  •  Beats & Rhymes  •  Frequencies  •  Groove  •  No Future  •  Pop Rocks  •  Wood, Wires & Whiskey  •  Concert Reviews  •  Halifax Pop Explosion Reviews  •  Pop Montreal Reviews • Motion Reviews --> Recently Reviewed  •  Dvd Reviews  •  Film Reviews  •  Music DVD Reviews  •  Videogame Reviews • Music School --> Label Life  •  Meet & Greet  •  Need to Know  •  Take Note  •  What I Play • Contests • Contact --> About Us  • Advertising  • Distribution  • Getting Reviewed  • Getting Published  • Letters To The Editor  • Partnerships  • Subscriptions • Exclaim! Radio --> Aggressive Tendencies Radio  • Beats & Rhymes Radio  • Frequencies Radio  • Destination Out Radio  • Groove Radio  • No Future Radio  • Pop Rocks Radio  • Wood, Wires & Whiskey Radio • Exclaim! TV • Home & Latest Issue • Browse Issues