Patrick Cleandenim - "Baby Comes Home"

Patrick Cleandenim - Hollywood (Ba Da Bing 2007)

Patrick Cleandenim – Baby Comes Home / Ba Da Bing

When I was in school studying audio production, I was one of those cats who booked overnight sessions in the studio, brought in aspiring rappers or music students and attempted to make a name for myself as a producer before even receiving my diploma. As you can probably tell since I am writing about music and not making my own, I failed. I failed utterly and miserably. Though maybe my ambitions and work ethic are in the right place, I just don’t have that natural knack for studio wizardry or for that matter, an ear for songwriting, arranging or producing. As much as I fought against drifting into the world of critiquing instead of creating, it was apparently inevitable. I think if Patrick Clendenin Roberts, who now records under the name Patrick Cleandenim, and I had taken classes together, we would have been good friends. We both share lofty ambitions, a love for old-school Axelrod-like studio production sound, and apparently the ability to herd university music students into graveyard shift studio sessions; but as Baby Comes Home proves, Roberts has much, much more talent and the ability to manifest his ideas into lush, infectious and very classic sounding productions. I am jealous. Sigh.

Not to further frustrate any aging, aspiring musicians, but Roberts wrapped the Baby Comes Home sessions on his twenty-first birthday. Already by this point, he had established himself in the Lawrence, KS scene with the “prog-styled indie-noir” trio Clockwork, who became the de facto opener for big-name indie-acts coming through the city. In 2002, Roberts went solo at the age of 17 (precocious is the word that comes to mind) and began to establish himself as an artistic force increasingly elaborating on a folk-pop sound. After leaving town to study at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in NYC, he returned home to begin the yearlong recording process of his debut full-length as Patrick Cleandenim. Captured to tape during graveyard shifts at the Black Lodge Recording Studio (co-owned by local favorites The Get Up Kids) with the help of an excellent rhythm section (drummer Stuart Perry and bassist Brandon McGuire) and a mini-orchestra of University of Kansas music students, Baby Comes Home is a greatly ambitious and wholly infectious debut from a young, multi-talented artist who should soon have the indie world at his beck and call.

Easily the most impressive aspect of Baby Comes Home is from the production viewpoint. Arranged with minute precision and recorded in an impeccably old-school manner, the album sounds mostly like a lost orchestra-pop gem from the very late 60s. Accompanied by his horn and string-heavy orchestra, Roberts easily conjures names like Spector or Vannier with his classic pop arrangements, but both of those still seem not quite right. With his knack for jazzy undertones, string flourishes and sassy melodies, I would almost describe it as David Axelrod producing a Bacharach-penned Bowie record. And the utilization of solely live, acoustic instrumentation definitely works wonders; it easily puts most laptop-orchestras to shame. With Roberts’ melodic alto vocals narrating over-top, it also draws comparisons to the skewed pop of acts like Sparks (the younger generation can seamlessly replace of Montreal here as well) circa the early 70s, though much less quirky and psychedelic. Really, a better vocal parallel may be that of Scott Walker especially with Roberts’ phrasing and the orchestrated backing, though much, much less guttural and menacing. Roberts’ lyrical content is the only aspect of the music that gets lost in the mix because it doesn’t really draw attention, for better or worse. It is not necessarily bland or poorly written, but just sort of generic-leaning pop content; plus, his vocal melodies are infinitely more interesting than anything he is actually saying.

All of you saddened by the early retirement of Patrick Wolf should run out and buy this record right away, though don’t expect anything nearly as flamboyant. There is definitely a similar aesthetic though with both incredibly ambitious acts exploring the confines of chamber art-pop. Roberts does a much better job of paying dues to his predecessors though, and he is definitely making a case for becoming the Bacharach of our generation, though hopefully without the incredible amount of accompanied cheese. To say Baby Comes Home is a promising solo debut is putting it lightly; this is a phenomenal debut of sheer (and somewhat already met) potential. If you are digging the retro-Spector sound bubbling up from the indie scene (see Pipettes), than do yourself a favor and check out Patrick Cleandenim. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.