Ron Sexsmith and Don Kerr’s first joint recording features thirteen Sexsmith songs arranged, produced and recorded by Kerr. Key to the inviting character of this set is their harmony vocals, which luxuriate across the melodies of every number. Their sympathetic timbres bring to mind, and have clearly been informed by, the brother harmonies of the Everlys and the Louvins.
The acoustic settings of the songs are not front porch strum-alongs, but sophisticated arrangements that offer drama and gentle propulsion. Sexsmith’s guitars and occasional keyboards are complemented by Kerr’s percussion, guitar and cello, with assistance from additional guitarist and mandolinist Tim Bovaconti and string bassist Jason Mercer.
Sexsmith finds power in simple phrases, such as the Mersey-era Beatles glow of “Your Guess Is As Good As Mine”. They also move easily into timeless realms with “Tree-Lined Street”, which closes the disc and contains the title lyric. It’s only when the pop confection of the lyrics gets too sweetly metaphorical that it gums up the works, with “Lemonade Stand” drifting dangerously close to Bruce Cockburn territory. That track strains for attention, where the power of the other songs lies in their ability to seem so effortlessly natural.
