Edmonton-based singer/songwriter Rob Heath is first and foremost a storyteller. Nothing human is alien to Heath; hence he has a keen eye for observance of the human condition and an ardent ear for putting it all to music. Heath’s songs speak of the lessons- good and bad- he has obviously learned during his life. Emotionally, he resides in a borderless world. His songs run the gamut from: whimsical, sceptical, explosive, introspective, hopeful, heart-rending, brooding, clever, and at times simply about true love and all of them brutally honest. The concept of being concise does not escape him, and he presents astute assessments of life in a three to four minute format. Delivery as well is succinct, and approach is what makes Heath’s vocals noteworthy. His phrasing allows the lyric to shine. There’s myriad subject matter and musical styles, yet there is a tie that binds. It’s that Heath’s music is relatable poetry, supported by listener-stickable melodies. The quality of Heath’s songwriting has been widely recognized. Over the years accolades for his songs have been many: won first place in the Calgary Folk Music Festival “Songwriting Contest”, won the New Folk competition at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival, and won a Canadian Radio Music Award for “Songwriter of the Year”, nominated for Canadian Folk Music Award’s “Songwriter of the Year”; over 200 radio stations on six continents have played his music; he’s been on songwriting panels for AMIA, WCMA and SAC; plus he’s had publishing deals with Glen Campbell Music, Don Goodman Music and Criterion/Atlantic Music. The good news is, the best is yet to come, March 2 in fact, when Heath releases his fifth album The Trick, a treasure trove of timeless tunes. While the lyric content of the recording appears to be the soundtrack to Heath’s own life, his poetry reveals truths of the shape all our lives have taken in today’s increasingly complex world. The title tune is arguably his finest work to date. The story take us back to youth, with the first chorus, “When you are young you see a trick/You think its magic”. The second adds this line, “But you grow up you see magic and you think it’s just a trick”. By the end of the teller’s life, the song, and the last chorus, it’s “But you grow old and you realize the magic’s everywhere/ The trick is just to see it there”. Brilliant. On these new songs, Heath’s energized and unfettered. Musical depth and artistic creativity abound on this album.