Ron Sexsmith

Given the title, you'd think that Other Songs might be a collection of also-rans from Sexsmith's brilliant debut, but his follow-up LP only underscored his prestigious talents for smart songwriting and evocative singing. Again working with producer Mitchell Froom, the record is based on a similarly simple formula--just a couple guitars, a tape loop or two, some light drumming and Sexsmith's distinctive voice--but tunes that are as good as "Strawberry Blonde" and "Honest Mistake" need little else to give them a powerful resonance.