Sharing the Love (Shines)

Last year during the Vancouver International Film Festival, a few friends and I wanted to see a movie so we (somewhat at random) picked one about the Canadian singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith. We had no idea what it was actually about but we had heard of the folk-pop artist and knew of a few songs of his. We have always been music lovers, so we figured it would be an evening well-spent. In all honest, we read that Feist was in the movie, and that is really why we picked it having very little exposure to Mr. Sexsmith himself. The film was Love Shines, a documentary about the struggling artist trying to break out into the mainstream music scene after a 20-year career in the independent music scene. Incidentally, this was the world premiere of the documentary and Ron Sexsmith and Bob Rock (a legendary producer working with Sexmith on his latest album) were both in the audience and held a small question and answer session after the movie, which was surprising to my friends and I who felt like party crashers amongst all these die-hard fans.

The shock of the importance of this viewing aside, the documentary itself was excellent, and I would highly suggest it to anyone who has the opportunity to see it whether you have any exposure to Ron Sexsmith or not. It follows Ron in the process of writing and recording his latest album Long Player Late Bloomer taking a risk with the venerable rock producer Bob Rock in the attempt to create a Top 40 hit, a dream he has yet to obtain after two decades of making music professionally. The documentary also looks into Sexsmith's life, including an intimate exploration of the family he left behind to pursue his music career as well as Ron's feelings about the life he has chosen and the life he lost. Throughout the movie, you learn more and more about a man who wants to legitimize his life's choices by gaining some commercial success nearing the end of an epic music career that has just never allowed Sexsmith to break into the popular scene. It is a touching and honest look into Ron Sexsmith's world as he continues to work in a harsh industry.

The album he recorded during the sessions with Bob Rock is amazing; it is much more upbeat than many of his other albums. Songs like "Love Shines" and "Believe It When I See It" are catchy, but have a depth that most popular music lacks. The eponymous song "Long Player Late Bloomer" is a sweet and honest song about Ron's journey and his hopes to break into the popular music scene. The album is fun and easy to listen to, but it is contains beautiful music steeped in meaning. This unlikely collaboration of heavy metal producer Bob Rock and folk pop singer/songwriter Ron Sexsmith has produced a solid album from start to finish that can appeal to a wide variety of audiences and stands up to repeated listening (trust me, I have tested this, and I find that it only gets better with each listening). The album has also been shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, an annual award for independent Canadian artists, and while it is up against some tough competition, I have hope for this album. The prizewinner will be announced on September 19, 2011.

I have become a big Ron Sexsmith fan since seeing this film, because not only is the man endearing and exceedingly talented, but because I felt a sense of responsibility towards him, as a music lover and supporter. I was struck by the fact that I was so impressed with his music throughout the movie, new and old, but I had never had the impulse to listen to him even when I happened to hear his music in the past. It is mentioned in Love Shines that his fans are often gained by word of mouth; that many people have heard of Ron Sexsmith but know very little about him and a recommendation is all it takes to make them newfound, lifelong fans. He is an immensely talented man and I feel that it is essential to continue spreading the word about his music. It is ultimately up to the fans for a band's success; they must encourage others to listen to artists who deserve attention and praise for what they are putting out into the music world. The message of the documentary is that artists are not in control of their fate, no matter their talent and determination. They depend on their fans to support them throughout their career, and Love Shines demonstrates this point beautifully. Ron Sexsmith and Love Shines ignited a strong sense of duty in me to keep supporting music that moves me and that I feel strongly about sharing with others.

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