Will Sexton - Move The Balance (2010)

Although he never really went away, here's a signal that Will Sexton is back. He suffered a mild stroke late in 2009, after which the homegrown singer-songwriter realized he could remember very little of his music. Move the Balance was initially issued early in 2010 but was hardly noticed at the time and, with his recovery a priority, was basically shelved. Reissued nearly two years later, it still rings with Sexton's lyrical meanderings set off by a variety of rootsy backdrops. While in the past he's delivered satisfying dreamscapes, Move the Balance trends pop in the manner of early Nick Lowe, simple and catchy melodies striking at fundamental lyric truths. The slow smolder of "Sunday Driver," Tom Petty-style Dylan-esque mash-up "Little Late for Loving Me Now," and the off-kilter joyfulness of "Happy Hour" are doubly satisfying in the fact that Sexton's once again operating at 100%.