Ron Sexsmith

by

Ron Sexsmith

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Reviewers use words like sublime for albums like this. I've never been over-sure what that means exactly. But if it means life-changing then that's close enough. Ron's debut album is the stuff of Astral Weeks or Pink moon..his songs will go with you like a second skin. "Galbraith Street" ,"Lebanon" "Speaking with the angels" are like best friends to me..I could wax lyrical about the unique juxtaposition of the universal with the intimate in Rons lyrics but that would be like talking about how well Dali uses beige !! This is pure soul food. I've bought it 20 times or so for friends and companions. It has never failed to bring a new dimension into their lives. This album really should be issued free of charge by the National Health Service to cure Soul Damage.

I read a review in the Trouser Press guide (I believe) that just went ape over this guy and was curious; I really appreciate good songwriting that deals matters of the heart and mind--Elvis Costello, who can do a ballad just as well as a rocker comes to mind--but Sexsmith is an opposite. His lyrics are very spare; they remind me of the daily horoscope that seems to apply to everyone because the descriptions are so vague. The production of the CD is great, very clean and intimate-sounding, but this is pretty lightweight stuff. The only melody that has stayed with me is "There's a Rhythm", and I can't recall one song that breaks what I would call mid-tempo. Lullabys. I fell asleep in front of my CD player while listening to this.