Fall Like Rain

Martin Sexton sounds inspired and refreshed on Fall Like Rain. His sophisticated pop songs reflect cautious optimism about the world at large (“One Voice Together,” the title track) and contentment with his life (“Happy Anniversary”). “Burlington” leads listeners on a vividly detailed journey of New England while charting a relationship's history. His voice, remarkably versatile in range and timbre, is as strong as ever. He smoothly slips from a warm soulful croon to a spine-tingling falsetto with ease, as his nimble melodies grab instantly. His superb voice tends to overshadow his instrumental skill, but his guitar work is excellent throughout as well. The jazzy cover of Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth” fits the overall theme of unity and understanding; in many ways the track is a companion to the gospel-tinged social commentary of “One Voice Together.” The only complaint with Fall Like Rain is that it’s just a five-track EP. But the songs are good enough to tide fans over until Sexton’s next full-length.