I cant believe that there s no thread here about Patrick Watson 's album "Close To Paradise".
they are from Canada (montreal) n play inspiring , ambitious , dreamy & beautiful music (a mixture of cabaret pop , indie , classic music , jazz , blues), followin the great tradition of artists such as Rufus Wainwright, Jeff Buckley , Sunset Rubdown etc...

a lot of people here could love that album.
(btw, "close to paradise" won the Polaris Music Prize that year!)

http://www.raisethehammer.org/index.asp?id=547

i m hearing that album all day...its so close musically to sufjan's "illinois" n in some parts it sounds almost better

I agree. His two albums have not left my players this summer. The first 'closer to paradise', and this one. 'Luscious life', 'drifters', and the jazzy 'slip into your skin' are among the higlights. There is so much sound happening on these albums. Truly amazing. Don;t get me wrong, I like all sorts of music, but this is in no way 'soft' or 'cheesy', the soundscapes are incredible. Definetly take a few listens to get used to.

Thanks for mentioning him. I'm checking it out right now, and I like what I hear. It will go on my already crowded wish list.

I would say it's a mix between Sufjan and Grizzly Bear with a vocalist that is somewhere between Chris Martin and M. Ward.

I'm listening to him right now on Radio Paradise. I could swear it was Jeff Buckley. Maybe he's been reincarnated.

slight correction-first album is 'Just another ordinary day', latest one 'Closer to Paradise', both brilliant. Voice is hard to pin down- a cross between Chris Martin and Thom Yorke? It's the music that makes it though.