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Musician: Martin Sexton

ASIN: B006DICX5S

After nine studio albums, blue-eyed soul singer Martin Sexton has released a five-song Ep he wanted to get out quickly.  He felt the lyrics carried messages that are just too important to be held up for a full album. clearly a singer/songwriter with a strong social conscience, it’s easy to see why he made this choice.

Actually, “blue-eyed soul” is a thin short-hand description for Sexton’s musical style, although the term does fairly reflect his smooth vocal delivery. In particular, he has an impressive control and range that evokes singers like, say, Al Green.   But more than this, he’s a notable guitarist and lyricist with songs that are sometimes anthems, sometimes very personal introspections.

The social messages Sexton shares have much to do with togetherness and unity, as with “One Voice Together" where he sings “In a world of warfare, peace is bad for business.” Speaking of one voice, that and one slappin’ acoustic guitar distinguish the EP’s closer, a fresh, jazzy arrangement of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth,” a song that still resonates with themes that are sadly still with us.

On the personal side,  tasteful acoustic guitar lines support "Burlington" which is a gentle look back over his New England past. Likewise, interesting background vocals and stylings color "Happy Anniversary(Six Years)" which demands repeat listenings to hear all the subtle layers under this fond remembrance of childhood. Perhaps the most poetic of these offerings is the title track in which Sexton claims “I wanna feel, I wanna fall like rain, without the shelter, so I can see which way the wind is blowin’ today.” This is the song that unifies the set, with Sexton both looking in and looking out at the world around him.

Perhaps “troubadour” is the best description of Martin Sexton, a vocal stylist of a very high caliber, a songwriter with heart and deep concerns, and a musician who’s clearly worked on his craft for decades.    Check out this new release and you might decide this is a gent worth further exploration.


Follow Here To Purchase Fall Like Rain