Patrick Watson May 8, 2010

Patrick Watson (born 1979) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, and the name of the band which he fronts, whose blend of cabaret pop and classical music influences with indie rock has been compared to Rufus Wainwright, Andrew Bird, Nick Drake, Jeff Buckley and Pink Floyd for their experimental musicianship.

After creating music and releasing albums in various styles, Watson put together a four-piece band that performed with artists like James Brown, The Dears, Philip Glass and the Stills. The band consists of Patrick Watson as lead singer, Simon Angell, Robbie Kuster, and Mishka Stein.

On July 10, 2007, Close to Paradise made the shortlist for the 2007 Polaris Music Prize. It was announced as the winning album on September 24. Their 2009 album Wooden Arms was a finalist for the 2009 prize.

Watson has been known to use unusual objects to make sounds for his music. For example, he "played" a bicycle in the studio for the song "Beijing". Also, in the opening of the song "Man Like You" the drummer uses two spoons to create a tremolo picking effect on an acoustic guitar.

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