The Vivian Line

The Vivian Line is the 17th album entry in Ron Sexsmith’s compelling discography, one matched by very few contemporary singer/songwriters. His catalogue has earned him immense peer respect and a loyal international following, and this new release (out on Warner Music Canada/ Cooking Vinyl in February 2023) captures Ron at the top of his creative game.

With one exception, these new songs all flowed from Sexsmith’s fertile musical and lyrical imagination in a short period of 2021 during covid. “The songs came out of nowhere,” Ron explains. “I wasn’t really writing after the [2020] release of my previous album, Hermitage. The older I get, the more I think ‘maybe this is it,’ but then I found myself with new ideas again and got excited.”

Reflecting upon the songs on the new album now, Sexsmith notes that “initially I thought they were an extension of Hermitage, which was very much about domestic bliss and my new life here in Stratford, Ontario. After the fact, I see them as a little weightier than Hermitage, which was very playful. There is more of a wistful feel to these songs.”

The Vivian Line is named after a rural route near Ron’s house, and he views it as “representing a sort of portal between my old life in Toronto and my new life here.”

Helping set the tone for the album is opening track “A Place Called Love,” a plaintive yet hopeful tune. “That one is about the state of the world and how hard it is for everyone, yet it has the idea that beyond this is some kind of peace,” Ron says. Sample lyric: “Hold on, beyond hard times there’s a place called love.”

The first single, “What I Had In Mind,” boasts a trademark catchy Sexsmith melody and an upbeat feel boosted by female backing vocals and a positive tone to the lyrics: – “In the rearview mirror, leaving all our tears behind, now that’s what I had in mind”. Ron recalls that “when I wrote it, I had a feeling it was one that people who are into me would hope for.

“Diamond Wave,” a tune Sexsmith wrote over three decades ago but had never recorded, is another ode to hard-won optimism, buoyed by a crisp acoustic guitar solo. A gentle ballad, “When Our Love Was New” is a heartfelt reflection upon an undying love – “We were old souls from the start. Although our love was new, it was ancient in our hearts.” Subtly embellished by woodwinds and strings, this exemplifies the vision of “baroque pop” Ron and producer Brad Jones had for the album.

Sexsmith has always possessed the ability to draw beauty and wisdom from observations of the world around him, and that is exemplified here by “One Bird Calling”. The short yet sublime tune was sparked by the mournful cry of a bird after a summer storm – “with its song many tears are falling for the ones no longer there.” That sound prompted reflection upon “all the blessings I feel right now, oh how lucky we are to have a home.”

A couple of tunes are more playful than philosophical. Ron calls the jaunty “A Barn Conversion” “a goofy little story song inspired by watching TV shows of old English couples renovating 500 year old country houses.”

Similarly lighthearted is “Outdated And Antiquated,” a song Sexsmith says “is me taking the piss out of myself,” and which features the admission “I belong in the past, they don’t make them like me anymore.” Within the self-deprecating wit is the truth that his style of compositional craftsmanship is an endangered species in an age where hit songs regularly have writers credits in the double figures.

“I always take pride in looking at the back of my albums and reading ‘all songs written by Ronald Eldon Sexsmith,’” he says. “I have a personal no co-writing rule for my albums. That does make me a bit of a rarity, like I am making antique tables or chairs. I’m a Pioneer Village in that way, but some people appreciate that kind of craftsmanship.”

Though comprising solo compositions only, The Vivian Line owes plenty to Ron’s key creative collaborator here, producer/multi-instrumentalist Brad Jones. Intriguingly, Brad had worked with Ron on three early albums, in the far more limited role of bassist. “Back then we always talked about doing something together, but I hadn’t seen or talked to him in over a decade,” says Ron. “I reached out to him, and when I sent him demos of these songs that I recorded in Stratford, I got excited talking to him about what he had in mind for the record.”

“Brad called that vision ‘baroque pop,’ using strings, woodwinds, and instruments like harpsichords. That sound always appealed to me, and I’ve done some records like that earlier, but I feel I can sing better now.”

A brief window of opportunity during the fall 2021 Covid season allowed Ron to travel to Music City and record at Jones’ Alex the Great studio, one Sexsmith calls “funky and comfortable.” Bed tracks with a drummer, were recorded quickly, with Sexsmith and Jones each playing a multitude of instruments. “I did some keyboards and played most of the guitars,” says Ron, with Jones credited on bass, recorder, harpsichord, piano, Fender Rhodes, harmonium, harmonica and more.

A day each was then spent on strings and woodwinds, with Jones mixing the results. “It was almost scary how smoothly it went,” notes Ron. “I was so impressed with Brad every step of the way. It was almost annoying how he was always right about everything, so after a certain point I just gave in – ‘just tell me what you want me to do.’”

The result is a beautifully rich and evocative sounding album. The vast array of instrumentation plus female harmony and backing vocals are employed subtly and judiciously, and Sexsmith is at the top of his game with his vocal performance. The Vivian Line is guaranteed to delight the Sexsmith faithful out there and deserves to attract new fans to the fold.

Those already deeply appreciative of Ron’s songwriting chops include a stellar list of vocalists to have recorded Sexsmith compositions. That group includes such international stars as Rod Stewart, Emmylou Harris, Nick Lowe, plus Canadian favourites Michael Buble, Feist, and k.d. lang.

Sexsmith’s work has also elicited effusive praise from the likes of Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, and Chris Martin, to name just a few. Over the course of a recording career now spanning 36 years, Ron has been nominated for 12 Juno awards (Canada’s Grammys equivalent), winning three times.

Now it’s time to visit The Vivian Line. Explore, linger, enjoy. 

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