Search - Charlie Sexton :: Cruel & Gentle Things

A Solo Tour de Force

Thaddeus Wert | Nashville, TN USA | 09/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Charlie Sexton is one of the most intriguing and accomplished artists working in music today. It is unfair to pigeonhole him with labels like "roots-rocker" or "Americana"; he is so much greater than that. Once he began collaborating with Tonio K on songs for the Arc Angels album, Charlie suddenly leaped into that rarified place occupied by the truly great: Bob Dylan, Ray Davies, The Band, U2. Yes, he's that good, and he's that important. His 1995 cd, "Under the Wishing Tree", is one of my all-time favorite albums: a sprawling, loose-yet-driving masterpiece that took blues, rock, country, Tex-Mex, jazz, and folk and turned it into a glorious roar.

It's now ten years later, and we finally have a new cd from Mr. Sexton. In between, he spent some time in Bob Dylan's band, made a tremendous album with Charlie Musselwhite (Sanctuary), and produced various artists like Lucinda Williams. But Cruel and Gentle Things was worth the wait. It opens with a stunning bare-bones lament for the modern world called "Gospel". Accompanied by only his 12-string acoustic, Charlie wearily sings how "Too much information might cripple your soul/The world is challenging your faith, more than you know".

After the understated beauty of "Gospel" comes the laid-back electric groove of "Burn". The melody and arrangement hark back to classic mid-70s Little Feat, but the lyrics are another thing altogether - bleak images of "dead steel towns", freezes, dirty rivers, "a white bird against a blackening haze" underscore the desperate longing of the singer for a lost love.

Other highlights include the title track, which begins softly with a piano-based melody and soon swells into an anthem about the dangerous nature of love; "Just Like Love", which is the kind of song Van Morrison should be writing; "Regular Grind", a clear-eyed and sympathetic ode to the lives of working class Americans; and "Dillingham Road", co-written with Steve Earle. Heck, every track is a highlight - there simply isn't a weak cut on the entire disc. I bought it the day it came out, and I have been compulsively listening to it ever since.

Charlie's vocals have never sounded better: relaxed, and expressive beyond his years. This is music for the ages - not pop radio - speaking of universal truths that all adults can relate to. Some discs never sound dated, regardless of when they were recorded; Cruel and Gentle Things will be just as vital 20 years on.

"

Adult Rock at its most sublime

Gaylen Halbert | Weimar, California United States | 12/23/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is very intense and yet goes down easy, approximating the apt title. Invites repeated listenings. Benefits from restrained production. Charlie is at the zenith of his artistry here and I believe he has more to come that will demonstrate his importance. I strongly recommend this CD. ."

Unbelievable

Joseph R. Tynes | Bossier City, LA | 10/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is timeless. Charlie is simply amazing. Every song is so well crafted that you'll find yourself listening to every song for hours on end. Do yourself a favor and put this one in the cart!"