Fully blossomedThe 'late bloomer' of the title is surely self-deprecation because Ron Sexsmith has sustained singer-songwriter excellence since the first main label release of his eponymous album in 1995. It was an instant success with singer-songwriter luminaries like Elvis Costello and myself [I know there should have been a comma after 'Costello'....] and I was lucky enough to see him in Manchester soon after its release. The songs on that album can compete with any of his s/s peers as well as those who laid the foundations for this genre. It is simply one of the great albums.
His latest has more overall range and variation without the stand-out tracks of the first, but being able to replicate the stunning songwriting of that first would be as achievable as walking down a street unnoticed wearing the jacket he does on the album's cover.
Two tracks to highlight on this latest are 'Every Time I Follow' and 'Nowadays', both representing his distinctive writing and singing, the later reflecting positively the sound of the early work I have so clearly put on a pedestal. This is an album to grow with more listening and unlike so many even good ones released on a regular basis this is one to which I will definitely return again and again.
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