Long Player Late Bloomer

Ron Sexsmith | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (March 1, 2011)
• Original Release Date: 2011
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Thirty Tigers
• ASIN: B004ISVGR6
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,027 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Get In Line

2. The Reason Why

3. Believe It When I See It

4. Miracles

5. No Help At All

6. Late Bloomer

7. Heavenly

8. Michael and His Dad

9. Middle of Love

10. Everytime I Follow

11. Eye Candy

12. Love Shines

13. Nowadays

Editorial Reviews

A singer-songwriter acclaimed by a galaxy of artists from Bob Dylan to Elton John, Chris Martin to Michael Buble, Steve Earle to Lucinda Williams for his insight into the human heart and a melodic purity (to paraphrase admirer Elvis Costello) unheard since the heyday of Paul McCartney, you ll find him straight after the Sex Pistols in any self-respecting encyclopedia of modern music. That s as close as Ron Sexsmith has ever got to in-yer-face hard rock. Until Now

For his 11th album, Long Player Late Bloomer, the award winning troubadour has paired himself with a fellow Canadian, the producer of bone-crunching classics by Metallica, Motley Crue and The Cult the genuinely named Bob Rock. The 13 tracks on the album that came out of this partnership each and every one of them sound like honest-to-god hits.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Black Cloud, Gold Lining March 3, 2011

By J. Schwarz

Format:Audio CD

If you haven't already heard the story surrounding Ron Sexsmith's 11th (or is it 12th, depending on how you count them) album, indulge me briefly. A world class songwriter (and not only because Elvis Costello, Elton John and Paul McCartney say so, but because it's simply true) grows increasingly frustrated with the disproportionate amount of commercial success relative to his critical triumph. He thinks maybe he should be satisfied with whatever run he's had, but rather than pack it in, decides to go for broke, and enlist an artist-centered producer, rather than the "artistes" he's used thus far. A most unlikely source, Michael Buble, refers Ron to Bob Rock (already admired by Ron as it turns out), who'd produced some of Buble's last record, as well as bands such as Metallica. Can an authentic, principled singer-songwriter find happiness with this arrangement without feeling like he's sold his soul? The answer is a resounding "YES!". If you've never heard Ron before, as mentioned by Mr Perlman in his review, this would be a great place to start. Ron's gentle, almost croon-like warble has evolved into just the right instrument to combine his beautiful melodies with lyrics that are philosophical without being navel-gazing, spiritual without being proselytizing. They are obviously personal to him, but are free to be adopted by each listener. The perfect melodies simply aren't found much in 21st century music, and there's an old-fashioned songcraft at play that many of today's artists claim to emulate, but rarely produce.
Throughout most of Ron's recorded work, one senses an unhappy, or at least a resigned individual, who is content to roll with life's punches and tries to use whatever good he can mine from his life to sustain him day to day. No one does the "black cloud/silver lining" thing better than Sexsmith. Melding these lyrics with gorgeous melodies gives the listener hope. There is a concern that a heavyweight producer such as Rock might have overdressed the songs, but for the most part that is not the case. "Love Shines" is as close to an anthem as Ron has recorded, yet the message comes through loud and clear without preaching. For once, the production on one of Ron's albums is never at war with the material. It's almost as if on previous records (the exception, perhaps, being "Retriever"), the producer was like a chef that combined his own exotic ingredients rather than first asking the diners "What do you like to eat?" You sometimes end up with an acquired taste if you stick around long enough to look for the subtleties. But, Rock was able to add familiar flavors to the songs without obscuring them, and though there are times it seems a tad heavy-handed, a Sexsmith song can take it. If you are looking for uplifting music that has staying power, you won't be taking a chance in picking this one up. Work your way back to "Retriever", "Blue Boy", "Whereabouts" and the self-titled album for a retrospective. You will be very glad you did.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hear The Secret For Yourself March 1, 2011

By James N. Perlman

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

For those who have purchased previous albums by Ron Sexsmith, rest assured your money will be well-spent on this splendid collection of pure pop songs by an artist who has garnered the respect of some of the finest songwriters of our time. For those looking for an entry point to this artist, I'm not sure there is a better place for one to start than this album; as it may be the most accessible in Sexsmith's catalog. There can be many ways to judge the quality of a song on an album; but one has to be if the song, from beginning to end, sounds right and effortless. There are 13 songs on this album and each sounds right. They move naturally with great rhythm, pace and, above all, a supreme gift for melody, particularly as sung with Sexsmith's slightly melancholic voice. But that melancholic voice is perfect for the lyrics to most of these songs.

With the music business being what it is today, it is most probably Sexsmith will remain a fairly well-kept secret. However, if you purchase this album, you'll be in on the secret and you will be able to say to your friends: "Listen, do you want to know a secret?" with the confidence that this secret is every bit as good as "Do You Want To Know A Secret?"

ADDENDUM: 5/25/11: This is a well-produced album that sounds better than most these days in the compact discs format. Yet, if one is an audiophile, with a very good vinyl set-up, the true beauty of this album can be realized by purchasing the import vinyl at around $35: [...] . It is pressed on 180 gr. vinyl and, at least my pressing, is very quiet; revealing much more detail, tonal balance, and a more nuanced dynamics. If you are able, this is the definitive way to hear this album.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding April 8, 2011

By Big Daddy Gadzooks

Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase

I'm not going to say much. I just heard of this guy -- which is quite a shame. I was searching for something else and happened upon this CD through CDNow's suggestions, listened to the samples, loved the quality of his voice, bought the CD. I've listened to most of this CD. All I can say is, I've ordered everything in his collection that I could find on this site. He has a very rich, smooth quality to his voice, a great sense of chord structure, unique yet somehow familiar (in a comforting way) melodies, and really cool lyrics. A must have for anyone who loves talented singer-songwriters.