Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith straddles the line between ‘Folk Rock Derivative’ and ‘Pure Pop’ in my musical genome. He got his start as a folk singer before expanding his sound over a dozen or so albums to include pop and jazz influences.
He never has delved into country, though, so he won’t be the first artist on my list to make a clean sweep. And while he has made use of increasingly varied instrumentation, his weapon of choice is the acoustic guitar, not the piano.
But in the ever-popular ‘Melancholy’ category, Sexsmith earns a gold star. His plaintive vocals and delicate melodies combine in some of the sweetest, saddest songs I know.
Sexsmith is an optimist at heart, though, which ultimately makes all those melancholy tunes somehow uplifting. A neat trick.
They ring of poison in the well
And death to all things real
Best walk away before they make us kneel
Like the morning sun rising o’er the hill
I know it could be brighter still
Though you feel loss
Never fear cos it’ll be brighter still, I know it will
For love has whistled down the wind
Just like the whisper of a friend
Giving breath to all our fears
To laugh away our sorrow and our tears
Like the pale moon before the darkness spills
I know it could be brighter still
On the sea tossed
Baby fear not, it’ll be brighter still, I know it will
Brighter still. Brighter… Brighter
All the shadows in the night
When I see them in the light
I don’t feel so ill at ease
I can feel my love breathe, I can feel her breathe
If there’s a mansion in the sky
If there’s an candle in the night
We’ll see its pale light trying
To illuminate tomorow in our minds
Like the morning sun rising o’er the hill
I know it could be brighter still
Though you feel loss
Never fear cos it’ll be brighter still, I know it will
Like the pale moon before the darkness spills
I know it could be brighter still
On the sea tossed
Baby fear not, it’ll be brighter still, I know it will
Meet Me In Montauk 
I don’t see Sexsmith as melancholy, but I do see him fitting in the folk and pop categories.
I enjoyed that…first time listening to him. Sort of had that Bos Scaggs quality vocally which has always really resonated with me. Thanks for the new artist to like.