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Exit Strategy of the Soul

by

Ron Sexsmith

 
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Exit Strategy of the Soul
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Avg: 3.5 (61 ratings)

The Canadian tunesmith returns, this time as uneasy as the rest of us.

  • We Say...

    Review by Billy Altman

    At first glance, it would seem that the title of Ron Sexsmith's latest is just a clever pun from a songwriter known for clever wordplay — especially since anyone familiar with the Canadian tunesmith's body of work knows the basic gentleness that's been a hallmark of his music since his 1995 debut. But while the tone may be as mild as ever, the spirit on Ron Sexsmith's new album is an uneasy one, the product of (as one songs aptly puts it) the "Impossible World" he sees around him these days.

    "From where I sit, there's too many eyes crying tears, too many lives living in fear," Sexsmith sings on "Ghost of a Chance," one of numerous tracks whose perspective is shaped by war, poverty and pollution. Another example is "One Last Round," wherein Sexsmith likens the current generation to drinkers who'll be leaving "The children who have yet to come… to pay our tab."

    Still, there are notes of optimism sprinkled throughout, and significantly, the album ends with several quietly uplifting songs ("Brighter Still," "Music to My Ears") which find Sexsmith melodically channeling a bit of Brian Wilson — and ultimately leaving behind a smile that is to be sure melancholy, but a smile nonetheless.

  • They Say...

    Review by Mark Deming, All Music Guide

    Ron Sexsmith's musical demeanor seems so typical of the modesty common to his native Canada that the notion of him recording with a handful of Cuban jazz musicians sounds almost freakish. Would Sexsmith melt when he came in contact with the heat of the Latin players, or would he transform them into quiet, contemplative types pondering love and life over coffee and Tim Horton's doughnuts? Sexsmith's tenth album, Exit Strategy of the Soul, was produced by Martin Terefe, who after recording basic tracks got the idea of flying to Cuba to add additional horns and percussion courtesy of arranger Joaquin Betancourt and musicians Amaury Perez (trombone) and Alexander Abreu (trumpet). The results don't sound at all like jazz, but the soulful side that's often lurked under the surface of Sexsmith's music rises to the surface on tunes like "Music to My Ears" and "Last Round"; no, Sexsmith hasn't been transformed into Wilson Pickett, but there is a light R&B accent in these numbers that surprisingly suits him well, and he sounds comfortable and expressive in these surroundings. Sexsmith also collaborated with Leslie Feist on the song "Brandy Alexander," which boasts a gracefully hooky melody to go along with the horns, and even the songs that just feature the songwriter with a studio rhythm section show a warmth and understated passion that peek through the natural reserve of Sexsmith's voice. And for a man who sounded either uncomfortable or painfully shy as a vocalist on his early work, Exit Strategy of the Soul shows Sexsmith has matured into a confident and eloquent performer who sings nearly as well as he writes -- and he's as consistently good a songwriter as you'll find in North America these days. Exit Strategy of the Soul isn't just an experiment that succeeds, it's one of Sexsmith's strongest and most affecting works to date, and it's truly a pleasure to hear.

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