Ron Sexsmith’s brilliance lies in making a hard thing seem easy. Melodic, concise songs pour out of him with such stunning consistency that it’s easy to think that anyone can do this. But anyone can’t, which is why he’s earned the respect of masters like McCartney and Costello even while toiling in relative obscurity. But don’t let the professionalism fool you, there’s a vulnerable, sentimental heart behind every song, always willing to go out on a limb, like on “Whatever It Takes.” That song would be sap in lesser hands, but it’s pure amber in Sexsmith’s.