Ron Sexsmith - Acoustic - Frankfurter Hof, Mainz, Germany, 9-28-2003

In recent weeks, I've shared two albums of singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith performing cover songs by the Kinks. When I posted those, I mentioned I didn't actually know his original material very well, and several people recommended that I check him out more closely.

The problem with that is that even though he's released about a dozen albums since 1995, he's never put out anything remotely resembling a best of collection, so it's hard to get an introduction to him. As you may have noticed from this blog, I have a special fondness for solo acoustic versions of songs. I found a 2003 soundboard bootleg concert of Sexsmith playing in the solo acoustic format, so I decided to check that out. I like it a lot. So I've decided to share it here.

It seems to contain most of his most popular songs. However, it doesn't contain what is probably his most famous song of all, "Secret Heart." I think that sound is outstanding. I'd put it up there as one of the best written singer-songwriter songs of the past few decades! So I was very bummed it wasn't played at the concert. But I found a very good fix. It turns out he did perform that song in solo acoustic format in 2003, the same year as the concert, and I found a high quality version of that. So I've added it at the end (where it probably should have been as the final encore anyway! ;) ).

As usual, I made the talking between songs into their own tracks. But the recording sounded so good that I didn't have to make any other tweaks. However, I chose to make one key edit. For the song "Gold in Them Hills," he started the first verse, forgot the words, then started the song over again. I edited it so it sounds like one seamless performance without that mistakes, because who wants to listen to clumsy mistakes?

One last thing. The only cover he does here, I think, is "Guess Things Happen that Way," by Johnny Cash.

01 Former Glory (Ron Sexsmith)
02 talk (Ron Sexsmith)
03 These Days (Ron Sexsmith)
04 talk (Ron Sexsmith)
05 Honest Mistake (Ron Sexsmith)
06 talk (Ron Sexsmith)
07 You Were There (Ron Sexsmith)
08 talk (Ron Sexsmith)
09 Just My Heart Talkin' (Ron Sexsmith)
10 There's a Rhythm (Ron Sexsmith)
11 talk (Ron Sexsmith)
12 Right About Now (Ron Sexsmith)
13 Disappearing Act (Ron Sexsmith)
14 Gold in Them Hills [Edit] (Ron Sexsmith)
15 Cheap Hotel (Ron Sexsmith)
16 Seem to Recall (Ron Sexsmith)
17 Guess Things Happen That Way (Ron Sexsmith)
18 talk (Ron Sexsmith)
19 Pretty Little Cemetary (Ron Sexsmith)
20 talk (Ron Sexsmith)
21 Average Joe (Ron Sexsmith)
22 Secret Heart (Ron Sexsmith)

https://www.upload.ee/files/15328441/RonSxsmth_2003_AcoustcFrankfrterHofMainzGrmany__9-28-2003_atse.zip.html

I couldn't find any photos of the exact concert for the cover art. But I did find a good one that's also from 2003, which comes from a concert at the Hollywood Bowl.