Rialto

Rialto, described by its author as a "mind movie," is a quintessential John Southworth project. Comprising a full-length album, podcast series, novella, and stage show, its narrative is told through the voices of eight cast members with Southworth himself taking the lead as an insomniac driver named Klaus. Accompanied only by a string quartet -- arranged with exquisite craft by Andrew Downing -- the singers lay out Klaus eerie tale of paranormal occurrences, enchanted movie houses, and central quest to deliver a mysterious reel of film to a remote theater called the Rialto. On previous albums, the English-Canadian singer/songwriter has shown a propensity for thematic work ranging from 2012s spooky Easterween to 2014s gorgeous chamber folk masterpiece Niagara. Here, Southworth delivers some of the most serpentine and complex melodies of his career with an unusual, but engaging story to boot. Assisting him are other luminaries of Torontos singer/songwriter set including Tamara Lindeman (the Weather Station), Martin Tielli (the Rheostatics), Felicity Williams, and Ryan Driver. Pleasingly literate and appropriately cinematic, Rialto stands as one of Southworths most fully realized and imaginative works. ~ Timothy Monger