Impressive set from Toronto musician with a trove of guests.
Carleton Stone is a Toronto based musician who has been making music for over fifteen years, either solo or with his band Zeus. He’s also a prolific songwriter, who’s written for the likes of Donovan Woods, Matt Andersen, Ria Mae, The East Pointers amongst many others, as well as being an acclaimed producer and he’s toured on six jaunts with Crash Test Dummies.
His new album is a ten strong collection of roots rock americana and is produced by longtime collaborator Howie Beck and Stone himself. They’ve assembled a mighty impressive selection of fellow musicians including Jason Collett, Brad Roberts, Gordie Sampson, Breagh Isabel, Dylan Guthro and Kayleigh O’Connor. There’s also a range of songwriters including all the musicians listed above together with Mike Wise, Wayne Bedecki, Yvette Colman, Andrew Austin, Don Brownrigg, Mathew Arab, Corey LeRue, and Morgan Cameron Ross. In total, there are over twenty talented musicians involved in the album.
All that talent has produced a very impressive set. We open with the incredibly catchy and infectious Fences, which is about the long-term effect of a major break-up, the challenges that come six months or so after the split. A strong backbeat on the drums drives this wonderful song, and Stone’s vocals are highly effective. Track two is California Sober, another guitar-driven, rootsy number which is also a breakup song – this time looking at how no matter what we do or take to try and help the situation, these never really help.
Stone is a more country-tinged song about the impact the pressure of a grudge or heavy emotional feeling that we often carry with us for no good use has on us. On My Knees is a slower, gentler number Stone wrote with the lead singer of Crash Test Dummies, Brad Roberts, who Stone had so extensively toured with. Cigarettes With God is another more laid-back track, which takes the fascinating notion of ‘if you had the chance to know what the future is, would you take it?’ There’s some lovely string work and a pulsating soft drum beat driving the song. A strong bass line opens the feel for Lights – what Stone calls a ‘dive bar love song’, juxtaposing emotional feelings of the narrator with the scuzzy, dirty bar the narrator is singing from. A lovely idea and it works well.
The wonderful Jason Collett co-wrote Night Train and it’s another love song with a gorgeous 1950’s feel to it over the acoustic strumming and really effective bass playing. Midnight Rose closes the album and is an atmospheric, moody, epic song about an interesting concept, a blue rose that doesn’t occur anywhere in nature and represents the creative pursuit. The drumming on this track is particularly effective and is played by Loel Campbell of the magnificent Wintersleep.
This is a solid, highly accomplished album showcasing Stone’s great songwriting and musicianship and his carefully chosen musical chums add so much to a thoroughly enjoyable release.
