SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN SOUTHWORTH – RIALTO

John Southworth
Rialto
Tin Angel Records

For some 20 odd years or so, from his opening salvo Mars’ Pennsylvania John Southworth has so far never made anything that would be less than very good. And since his last three albums-only efforts Niagara, Small Town Water Tower, and Miracle In The Night he has been upping the ante in inventiveness and quality of his art.

Why album only? Because his latest artistic effort (and you’d have to call it that) Rialto is a multi-disciplinary project that includes the album, a podcast that has been airing since mid-July, a novella, and will possibly include a theatre play too!

Taking the album just on its own merits, Southworth takes things one step further. Bringing in a Toronto ‘cast of thousands’ that includes Tamara Lindeman (The Weather Station), Meg Remy (U.S. Girls), Thom Gill (Owen Pallet, Beverly Glenn-Copeland), Southworth goes a few steps further out of pop music.

Yet, throughout the album, those familiar with his work can recognize both his inventiveness and melodicism, something that has always been one of his trademarks.

Southworth himself characterizes the whole project as a product of a dream that goes under the banner of ‘History of Jazz.’ Could be, but also maybe not. Makes no difference, as the music on Rialto simply wins you over.

The rest of the project is available at https://www.rialtoreel.com.

Artist Links