SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: RON SEXSMITH – HERMITAGE

Ron Sexsmith
Hermitage
Warner Music Canada

Hermitage is proof that Ron Sexsmith can still turn a melody. After a move from Toronto and a full band on his previous album, The Last Rider, Sexsmith has switched gears completely. Setting up in his Stratford, Ontario home, Sexsmith recorded this album on site, playing all the instruments except for the drums. The results are a crafty album of sorts with Sexsmith’s signature melodies and an easy-breezy vibe stitched in throughout the album.

Opening track “Spring of the Following Year” starts the album off with a feeling of relaxation. Birds sing to one another before a gentle piano, Sexsmith’s vocals, and a harp join in. His lyrics look forward towards next spring with someone he loves very much. From there, the album moves into a funkier track, “Chateau Mermaid”, which again relaxes the listener into a sleepy sort of happiness.

As is almost always the case with Sexsmith, the listener can look forward to clever lyrics and turns of phrase. “Dig Nation” starts with: “In Dig Nation, there are plenty of people that can’t see the chapel for the steeple.” With a simple melody and easy-to-understand descriptions, Sexsmith keeps his lyrics on the surface and easily relatable.

Overall, the album is heavy with easygoing piano and lovely vocals. It’s the type of album you’d pop on, on a sunny Sunday morning and relax to with your coffee. Sexsmith is trying something new but isn’t straying too far from his own style. Hermitage is a fantastic addition to an already fantastic body of work.

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