Jan 27, 2010 - 11:05 AM

By william McGuirk

Bowmanville-raised songstress Trish Robb is a new graduate of the old school: she lets her music do the talking for her.

Many musicians favour the studio over the stage but not Ms. Robb. Live and in person is where she can be found, not filed in the racks of record bins. To see and hear her is to understand the attraction. It's working, too. This face time with her audience and peers has resulted in a variety of high-profile gigs. She has opened for the Cowboy Junkies and recently played with Kyp Harness. She is set to open for Ron Sexsmith when he plays Feb. 14 in Cobourg. It is her gorgeous voice and folk-inflected style that is at the heart of her talents. She would give Feist a run for the money. She cites Sexsmith as an influence so the match-up is perfect.

Much like his idol Gordon Lightfoot, Ron Sexsmith is a songwriter's songwriter. Over the last 20 years he has been building up a deep catalogue of songs most other artists would gladly sell their muse's mother for. While somewhat unknown to the general public, he has won accolades from Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney, Steve Earle and Elton John for his work. Rod Stewart, k.d. lang and Michael Buble have covered his songs and he has collaborated with Coldplay's Chris Martin. He has been nominated for a Juno many times and has taken home the prize twice, once each for the album Other Songs (1998 roots and traditional) and Songwriter Of The Year (2004's Retriever).

As a Canadian solo artist, with awards in roots categories, Sexsmith often gets filed in with the likes of Lightfoot and Leonard Cohen, but he is really more of a pop singer in the tradition of Crowded House or Squeeze. He writes smart adult stories of life's hard lessons, heartaches and the small triumphs that get us through the darker days. He has released nine albums on a variety of labels, always retaining his independent spiritual approach to his craft.

Sexsmith was 17 when he started in his hometown of St. Catharines. After almost five years of audience requests, which earned him the nickname the Human Jukebox, Sexsmith began to write his own material and moved to Toronto. Two records in particular, Cobblestone Runway and Retriever, built his reputation for wry melancholic guitar-based pop with subtle added instrumental touches. His latest, Exit Strategy For The Soul, is augmented by Cuban horns, for example.

This event is a matinee show with doors opening at 1:30 p.m. Tickets are $36.75 taxes incl. Gentlemen Husbands are also on the bill.

True Believerâ?¨Matthew Barberâ?¨Outside Musicâ?¨

This is the fourth record from T.O-based singer/songwriter Matthew Barber, brother of Jill, who guests here. On previous albums, Barber has explored a variety of styles within each record, resulting in a mixed bag of sounds, making it difficult to credit Matthew with a distinctive voice.

Upon listening to this, however, it would seem in retrospect as if Matt has been working towards this one. Howie Beck mans the board and perhaps it is he who provides the cohesion an album, any album, requires. Barber has had many songs to swing too but I think this may be his much-promised polished album. His last record, the JUNO-nominated Ghost Road, took us on a quiet spiritual trip through the melancholic side of life. I found it accomplished but just way too mellow.

The first single from True Believer, I Think You Are Going To Feel My Love, evokes Daniel Lanois in its melodic sensibility. It's available on iTunes now but the full record won't be out until late February. The Daniel Lanois reference is important as this disc is more of what Lanois has called the Simcoe Sound, which he said once was behind U2's Moment Of Surrender track and others on their No Line On The Horizon album. He doesn't clarify in the interview what it is exactly but it's a tribute to The Band kind of sound. Matt and Howie have it here too.

www.matthewbarber.com