Love Songs For Robots finds Patrick Watson in fine voice, but not his finest

Patrick Watson

"Love Songs For Robots"

Release date: 11 May 2015

6/10

06 May 2015, 11:30 | Written by Rory Foster

(Albums)

(Patrick Watson)

Patrick Watson loves a springtime release so much, his last three records have all come out in April or May. Perhaps it’s because his music can blossom beautifully or cause a downpour of emotion with such short intervals between. But seasonal puns aside, his last few albums - each neatly spaced three years apart - for the most part maintain what his non-spring phase started back in 2003: whimsical, luscious pop that can soundtrack heartbreak as effortlessly as a child’s story, or an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, or a Guinness advert. Watson’s style is at times fantastical, others sombre, but always bound to his trademark falsetto – a bluesy, breathy yet angelic lilt that is both beautiful yet somewhat limiting. Watson suffers from a typecast to the romantic indie pools of Andrew Birds and Patrick Wolfs, which is probably quite frustrating. Thus it’s not that surprising that with Love Songs For Robots, he’s attempted something a little different, which unfortunately doesn’t hit the high notes of previous albums.

Watson at his best creates songs richly textured and intricate, or sparse and delicate – Wooden Arms’ "Beijing" is a love letter to a city beautifully articulated through racing strings and clattering percussion. "Words in the Fire" is an adorable acoustic ballad that comes unannounced half-way through Adventures in Your Own Backyard to remind you how powerful Watson's naked voice can be. However Love Songs For Robots is a slight change in trajectory, perhaps influenced by the success of epics off the War on Drugs or Ben Howard albums. There is much ambling on Love Songs for Robots, but I’m not sure it does Watson any favours.

Despite this, the first few songs conform quite closely to the classic Watson formula. Quirky, rich and accessible, the opener (and title track), is the album’s finest moment – one of the simplest songs on this record and instantly fitting into his repertoire, “Love Songs for Robots” would sound at home on any of the last few records. Likewise “Good Morning Mr Wolf” is more spritely pop, albeit less immediately gratifying. But “Bollywood” is the first, and unfortunately not last, of the tracks on LP no.5 that seem long for very little reason. It ambles along, Watson’s voice echoing around, with some excitement provided in the form of an indie hoedown mid-track. But there’s no melodic pop for Watson to weave his vocal around here, and elongated mopey indie does not lend itself so well to an ear expecting the former. When it comes to the seven-and-a-bit-minute “Know That You Know”, I’m running out of excuses for what seems to be extending the record for the sake of it.

Watson's voice remains an absolute gift; but is abnormally unambitious for much of Love Songs for Robots. It seems that in an attempt to develop the songs themselves Watson’s voice is less effervescent than usual. And with little in its place to entertain, it makes for a weaker record than what we are used to from the man whose second LP took down Feist’s The Reminder and Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible to earn the 2007 Polaris Music Prize. There are moments that remind us that Watson can still work a great melody, but Love Songs For Robots is by no means contains his best work.