New Orleans, like the rest of the free world, has no shortage of folk-inspired singer/songwriters. As long as the acoustic guitar exists, there will be people pouring out their emotions in song, and musicians willing to play non-paying gigs for the chance to paint their unique picture of reality in music and lyrics. The positive side of this is that music fans are treated to an abundance of insightful, often beautiful perspectives on the human experience. The negative side is that we become jaded, and it is often difficult for an artist to cut through and make a lasting impression.
Kelly Carlyle’s debut album Stethoscope lives true to this principle. The songs are deeply personal and sung with an almost desperate sense of conviction. Seemingly a break-up album, Stethoscope is broadly melancholic and speaks to a fragile state of being. At his most radiant, Carlyle is tuneful and tersely engaging. “Everymood” is catchy yet sincere, and on “Up for a Let Down,” Carlyle’s talent shines like a Bywater incarnation of Elliot Smith. At other times, however, the songwriting fails to pierce the veil of the jaded listener’s perception.
One constant on Stethoscope is great musicianship. Carlyle plays most of the instruments himself and also produced the album. In doing so, he establishes himself as a rising talent with a great aesthetic sense that falls somewhere between Beck and the Beach Boys. Guest appearances from Terry Plumeri on bowed bass, Dr. James “Jimbo” Walsh on guitar and piano, “Sneaky Pete” Orr on banjo, and Anthony Cuccia on percussion add tremendous musical depth to the album and make Stethoscope a truly New Orleans experience.
