4Play

March 21, 2007

Ron Sexsmith - Time Being - Ironworks

In a time of Bright Eyes, Mutations-era Beck, and Ryan Adams, it’s a mystery why Ron Sexsmith has yet to join the ranks of the top indie-pop singer-songwriters. But perhaps that’s because he’s in a class by himself. Working here with producer Mitchell Froom, Sexsmith infuses his eighth album with more of his never-failing, introspective songs, performed with his trademark shy vocal style and laden with intelligent and thought-provoking lyrics. It’s hard to find a bad album by Sexsmith, but this one is among his best; from the moving “Cold Hearted Wind” to the clever “Ship of Fools” and the lovely and heart-rending “Snow Angel,” he’s done it again - now it’s just a matter of everyone else finally discovering this under-the-radar gem of a songwriter.


Nico - Frozen Borderline: 1968-1970 - WEA/Rhino

No other female singer has ever managed to approximate Nico’s unique sound. From her oddly deep vocals to her poetic, cryptic lyrics and spooky accompaniment, she influenced a whole range of female performers who, try as they might, could never quite capture her cool, enigmatic essence, as highlighted by her associations with Andy Warhol. This set is an excellent listen back at this mysterious artist’s appeal; combining her Marble Index and Desert Shore albums into an expanded set, the CD also includes 17 previously unreleased tracks that explore the bleak but wide catalog of her John Cale-produced songs. You’ll get versions of “Roses in the Snow,” “No One is There,” and “Falconer,” among 30 others - but you’ll have to go out and find your own cool.


James Morrison - Undiscovered - Interscope

Nope, it’s not that Jim Morrison - although some of the influences (and the moody cover photo - okay, and the cover font) might belay a small bit of Doors-esque similarity, this James is mostly all on his own - he’s got some of the soulful delivery of that other Morrison, but he’s also got a completely different approach. Loaded with thick, friendly arrangements as produced by Martin Terefe (KT Tunstall and the aforementioned-in-this-column Ron Sexsmith), Morrison’s songs range from the flowery violins-and-pianos of “Under the Influence” (of love, that is) to the horn-graced “Wonderful World,” all the way to a more spare approach - that of “You Give Me Something,” which merely features Morrison and an acoustic guitar, doing great justice to both his voice and his songs.



Amon Tobin - The Foley Room - Ninja Tune

Foley artists, for the uninitiated, are those creative folks who bang on pots, stomp on gravel, crinkle paper, and echo footsteps in order to get the proper sound effects into your favorite movies. On this album, electronic musician (not Foley artist) Tobin takes much the same approach, but for a different purpose. Utilizing field recordings and other found sounds in addition to regular instruments, Tobin melds his beatmaking prowess with everything from motorcycle engines to lion roars and buzzing bees, and it makes for a fascinating listen. Standout tracks here include the creepy “Keep Your Distance,” “Bloodstone” which is frosted with strings from none other than the Kronos Quartet, the detailed “Kitchen Sink,” and the title track, which is about as stop-motion as a song can possibly get.