Blake Anthony Robson – Alabaster Baby (2020)
If The Strokes had a lovechild with Nick Drake, but it was raised by Leonard Cohen, the kid would probably be Blake Anthony Robson. Hailing from London, Robson is an intriguing multi-instrumentalist pumping out serious, steady sounds with a sombre feel. Since releasing his debut album The Monster’s Sleeping in 2018, Robson has experimented with different genres ranging from synth-driven electropop to indie-rock; now he’s providing listeners with Americana/folk-based singles. A follow-up to the popular single ‘Signal Dilemma’, we have ‘Alabaster Baby’.
While ‘Signal Dilemma’ explores different genres, ‘Alabaster Baby’ seems to adopt a simple folk sound void of any synths. Instrumentally, the track is driven by Robson’s acoustic guitar, but the integration of a piano increases emotion and sentimentality. Throughout his repertoire, Robson demonstrates his versatility as a musician, but I believe ‘Alabaster Baby’ shows vulnerability along with versatility.
It’s known that many folk artists have meaningful concepts behind their songs. Now I’m not saying musicians from other genres have flimsy, meaningless releases; however, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell present a steadier, simpler melancholy. Blake Anthony Robson is not far behind his iconic contemporaries. Seamlessly combining simple instrumentation with his distinct voice, ‘Alabaster Baby’ is Robson’s compelling, charismatic, heartwarming and solemn ballad.
You can find out more about Blake Anthony Robson on his Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Spotify.
Check out our review of ‘Signal Dilemma’ HERE.
