Wed. Jan. 10

Ron Sexmith, Toronto-based singer-songwriter-guitarist, has just released his tenth disc, "Time Being." Sexsmith has received accolades from many in his line of work - Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Paul McCartney, Coldplay's Chris Martin. Has it been career sustaining? "It's helped definitely, especially the Elvis Costello thing early on," says Sexsmith. (Costello held up a copy of Sexsmith's first album on the cover of MOJO.) "That helped. I was in a real bad situation with the label and the first album, and that created a buzz. I remember when Chris Martin started chatting up my writing, that had an effect, but it didn't catapult me into the same level. I appreciate anyone who has said nice things." On "Time Being," Sexsmith and producer Mitchell Froom have crafted a melodic, gentle album that has numerous ups and downs in the lyrics. "All my heroes did that," says Sexsmith of the emotional turnabouts. "I'm trying to uphold whatever tradition they started. When I started, I was just trying to make records my label would like. Now, I'm on my tenth album, and it's amazing I've been able to hang around so long." And, yes, there were extreme points of frustration and thoughts of giving it up. "You say that and the next day you write a song and you're excited," he says. "I was dropped by Interscope, my family fell apart, where did my life go? I started writing for other people. I don't know what else I would do. I just keep chuggin' along." Sexsmith, who plays T.T. the Bear's Wednesday Jan. 10 with a backing trio, says his live show does have a harder rock edge than his studio work. "I like to rock out, but it's not my forte," he says. "Occasionally, we approach it, but the melody leads. It's like the Beach Boys aren't as convincing as the Rolling Stones. It's mid-tempo, middle groove. There is a gentleness.

Ron Sexmith, Toronto-based singer-songwriter-guitarist, has just released his tenth disc, "Time Being." Sexsmith has received accolades from many in his line of work - Elvis Costello, Ray Davies, Paul McCartney, Coldplay's Chris Martin. Has it been career sustaining? "It's helped definitely, especially the Elvis Costello thing early on," says Sexsmith. (Costello held up a copy of Sexsmith's first album on the cover of MOJO.) "That helped. I was in a real bad situation with the label and the first album, and that created a buzz. I remember wfhen Chris Martin started chatting up my writing, that had an effect, but it didn't catapult me into the same level. I appreciate anyone who has said nice things." On "Time Being," Sexsmith and producer Mitchell Froom have crafted a melodic, gentle album that has numerous ups and downs in the lyrics. "All my heroes did that," says Sexsmith of the emotional turnabouts. "I'm trying to uphold whatever tradition they started. When I started I was just trying to make records my label would like. Now, I'm on my tenth album, and it's amazing I've been able to hang around so long." And, yes, there were extreme points of frustration and thoughts of giving it up. "You say that and the next day you write a song and you're excited," he says. "I was dropped by Interscope, my family fell apart, where did my life go? I started writing for other people. I don't know what else what I would do. I just keep chuggin' along." Sexsmith, who plays T.T. the Bear's Wednesday Jan. 10 with a backing trio, says his live show does have a harder rock edge than his studio work. "I like to rock out, but it's not my forte," he says. "Occasionally, we approach it, but the melody leads. It's like the Beach Boys aren't as convincing as the Rolling Stones. It's mid-tempo, middle groove. There is a gentleness. It's an extention of who I am, i like the music to be elegant in a way."

"'Time Being' seems to have a theme," Sexsmith continues. "It touches on mortality. A couple of high school buddies passed away, which triggered some of the songs. And while that was going on I was writing little narratives. I love scary stories, and I was trying to be a mini-Edgar Allan Poe, with 'Snow Angel,' like 'The Tell-tale Heart.' "The album generally has a pleasant, buoyant feel. "I was worrired going in," says Sexsmith. "I thought it was dark, but Mitchell said it sounds like a really melodic record and that made me think 'Ok, maybe the lyrics are downbeat but the music is catchy.' I've alway liked songwriters who had that going on. Brian Wilson - a lot of it was sad, but beautiful. I discovered (this late singer) Judy Sill whose songs were full of sadness but had something so spiritual and uplifting." That's what Sexsmith says he aims for - "always. And I always felt melody was really important. Coming from Canada , rhythm isn't my forte, rhythm comes from hot climates."
How close is Sexsmith offstage to the one we hear on disc? "I'm a little bit idealized on record," he says. "In the songs, it's eassier to be a better human being, you can be more forgiving in song. That's the great thing about art: what you'd like to be can be represented in a song." Sexsmith has had the good fortune to meet a lot of his heroes. He sometimes plays Bruce Springsteen's "Factory" and "The Promised Land" in concert. "I remember camping out in subzero weather for 'The River' tour. When I met him, we were talking, and he said he liked my song 'Lebanon, Tennessee' and I was on cloud 9. He's had so much success, but there's kind of a bond there. It's hard just hanging in there, and there's a mutual respect."  Kim Taylor and Emily Pilowa open the 9 p.m show at T.T.'s. Tickets: $10.

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