Ron Sexsmith
Carousel One
Cooking Vinyl
‘Carousel One’ is the new studio album release from Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Opening track ‘Sure As the Sky’ feels very Beatle-esque but that is to be expected when you have Bob Glaub on bass who has played with John Lennon. The new single ‘Saint Bernard’ is a tribute to an anonymous family dog from a photograph picked up in a second-hand shop by his wife Colleen. It is a lively track that I can hear going down very well on radio.
‘Loving You’ has a beautiful country intro with guitarist Jon Graboff (John Lee Hooker, Dr John); drummer Don Heffington (Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris, Lone Justice); and keyboard player John Ginty (Dixie Chicks, Whiskeytown, Neal Casal, Matthew Sweet) all just doing what they do best. ‘Before The Light Is Gone’ is a walking song but for me isn’t the standout track on the album.
‘Lucky Penny’ has a great lyric ‘she’s my lucky penny, when I ain’t got a dime’. In addition, there is some stunning Hammond organ that gives it a full textured sound. ‘ My favourite track is ‘Getaway Car’ as the keyboard solo fits perfectly and it reminds me very much of Bob Dylan. ‘Nothing Feels the Same’ is like a very relaxed David Bowie which I think is quite refreshing as it is not trying to be a carbon copy of Bowie.
‘Sun’s Coming Out’ is technically well done but I feel it is quite forgettable. ‘Lord Knows’ has quite a punch from the offset and really relies on electric guitar. ‘All Our Tomorrows’ is a beautiful title and wouldn’t be out of place on the hit television show ‘Nashville’. ‘No One’ has light brushes and is an extremely lonely song but it is done with quite an uplifting delivery. A bit of a music curveball Mr Sexsmith… well done.
‘I Can’t Get My Act Together’ is about someone asking ‘How can I help you if I can’t help myself?’ Quite a philosophical song. Closing track ‘Is Anybody Going To San Antone?’ has a pedal steel guitar and puts me in the mind of Glen Campbell’s work.
This sixteen-track album ‘Carousel One’ (The album takes its name from the luggage retrieval belt at Los Angeles airport where bags off Toronto inbound flights are delivered) proves why his music contempories such as Sir Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello consider him as a key influence. He is definitely someone who really things about the meaning behind his songs. It is clear to see why he has been chosen to perform at Glastonbury Festival this year.
Carousel One Track Listing
Sure As The Sky (2:58)
Saint Bernard (3:13)
Loving You (2:31)
Before The Light Is Gone (2:36)
Lucky Penny (3:51)
Getaway Car (2:51)
Nothing Feels The Same Anymore (4:04)
Sun’s Coming Out (3:17)
Lord Knows (2:49)
All Our Tomorrows (4:03)
No One (3:18)
Can’t Get My Act Together (3:18)
Tumbling Sky (2:17)
Many Times (2:45)
The Other Side (3:52)
Is Anybody Going To San Antone? (3:27)
Glenn Sargeant
Ron Sexsmith’s new album ‘Carousel One’ is out now on Cooking Vinyl. To coincide with the release, Ron Sexsmith will be touring the UK and Ireland extensively in 2015 at the following venues:
Monday 22nd June – Empire Music Hall, Belfast, Ireland http://www.thebelfastempire.com/event/ron-sexsmith/614/
Tuesday 23rd June- Whelan’s, Dublin, Ireland http://www.whelanslive.com/index.php/ron-sexsmith/
Thursday 25th June- The Art School, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom http://www.theartschool.co.uk/events/events/25-jun-15-ron-sexsmith-the-art-school/
Friday 26th June- Mill Volvo Tyne Theatre, Newcastle, United Kingdom http://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/events/ron-sexsmith/
Saturday 27th June- RNCM (Studio Theatre), Manchester, United Kingdom http://www.rncm.ac.uk/production/ron-sexsmith/
Sunday 28th June- Acoustic Tent at Glastonbury Festival 2015 (15:25 – 16:05), Worthy Farm, Glastonbury, United Kingdom
Monday 29th June- St George’s, Bristol, United Kingdom http://www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk/event/ron-sexsmith/
Tuesday 30th June- Royal Festival Hall, London, United Kingdom http://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/ron-sexsmith-live-in-concert-90828
Sunday 11th October- Glee Club, Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom https://www.glee.co.uk/live-music/
Monday 12th October- Glee Club, Nottingham, United Kingdom https://www.glee.co.uk/live-music/
Tuesday 13th October- The Memorial Hall, Sheffield, United Kingdom http://www.sheffieldcityhall.co.uk/events/Ron-Sexsmith
Thursday 15th October- Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/ron-sexsmith-edinburgh-15-10-2015/event/36004EC5C8DB8E98
Friday 16th October- Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, United Kingdom
Saturday 17th October- Pocklington Arts Centre, Pocklington, United Kingdom http://www.pocklingtonartscentre.co.uk/shows+on/17-10-2015
Sunday 18th October- The Trades Club, Hebden Bridge, United Kingdom http://thetradesclub.com/events/ron-sexsmith
Tuesday 20th October- Epstein Theatre, Liverpool, United Kingdom http://www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk/whats-on/ron-sexsmith.aspx
Wednesday 21st October- Glee Club, Birmingham, United Kingdom https://www.glee.co.uk/live-music/
Thursday 22nd October- Junction 2, Cambridge, United Kingdom http://www.junction.co.uk/ron-sexsmith
Monday 26th October- Komedia, Brighton, United Kingdom http://www.komedia.co.uk/brighton/all-events/
Tuesday 27th October- St Mary’s Church, Ashford, United Kingdom http://revelationstmarys.co.uk/whats-on/ron-sexsmith-support/
For more information visit: www.ronsexsmith.com
