John Southworth, a UK-born, Canadian-made singer-songwriter has been releasing records of elegant folk pop suitable for both club and cabaret for nearly two decades.
Much like his cosmic Americana counterpart Cass McCombs, South- worth has managed to exist in the modestly magnanimous state of “cult artist”, earning him a dedicated international following and license to do whatever he wants.
Niagara, his ambitious double album, is a product of such creative freedom, divided into a “Canadian side" and an “American side”, a reference both to the styles of traditional music and the geographical boundaries of the mighty Niagara Falls.
The Canadian side is cabaret folk at its finest; songwriting with a regal yet devious finesse, like the Harry Nilsson-esque Ode To The Morning Sky. The American side gets more swampy, like the bone rattling Hallow- een Election or Weird Woman, with lyrics like “island witchcraft, it was a pleasant flirtation”.
You can hear the care, the thought and the savoir-faire put in to every song. Southworth is a true craftsmen, a cult leader, and with Niagara, this has never been more apparent.
★★★★1/2
