Taking a leaf out of the books of the likes of Glen Hansard and Damien Rice (who he now sits quite serendipitously next to in my record collection,) Rob delivers lyrics forged from personal narratives, memories and world views which dance eloquently and elegantly over the most effective of tunes. Effective because there is no extraneous musical flesh to be found, he knows what the basic requirements are for each song, be it the lilting pop-balladry of Mississippi or the beautiful and almost intangible structure of Glorious, and is never drawn into the age-old trap of overloading the song just because the studio offers so many options.
It is this musical elbow-room that he allows himself that means that the textures of the songs reveal themselves through the gaps in the top line melodies. Here a wonderfully concise bass run pulses through, a sumptuous string-wash passes by just on the edge of hearing or more often than not the spaces are filled with atmosphere and anticipation, a tool as powerful as any clever riff or fancy drum fill (take note kids.)
But more than anything it is honest. It is an open letter from someone who has found his calling to the world that continues to inspire him and in this day and age that is something as unexpected as it is to be admired.