British-born singer-songwriter Steve Robinson has carved out his career in America and is now a hidden treasure releasing brilliant pop-rock-folk albums that leap directly from golden eras of Britpop. His latest, Window Seat, is a sparkling addition to his discography. Aided by producer/musician Ed Wotil, plus daughter Emma Robinson harmonizing, the ten songs are all earworms that have accompanied my every day for weeks. Robinson’s vocals can sound like Ray Davies, Colin Moulding (XTC), or even Paul McCartney, and his lyrics shine with wit and perceptiveness. Highlights aplenty include the largely acoustic love song “Treasure”; “Unnecessary War,” a pop-rock plea across the red-blue political divide that is one of the two tracks burnished with guitar stylistics from ex-XTC Dave Gregory; the vaguely Beatle-esque, gentle ballad “Hollow Man,” decrying modern politicians; and the bouncy “Who Knew” a la the Kinks. Out of time but fabulous, Window Seat deserves to be on many a Best Of 2024 list.
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