It is a pleasure to welcome award-winning singer, songwriter, and producer Carleton Stone to The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.

The Nova Scotia, Canada native, recently dropped his latest solo and self-produced album, Papercut. Through the sax-blasted Americana with power-pop and 1980s synthesizers, Carleton blurs musical genres to explore several tumultuous years and asks two difficult questions: “What the hell have I done?” and “What if I had gone down some other path?”

Papercut is one of Carleton’s strongest and most forthcoming albums, thanks to innate songwriting skills. Listeners will follow him as he plumbs the depths of an emotional roller coaster ride. The album also features several talented musicians, including bassist Liam Jaeger, percussionist Howie Beck, cellist Kevin Fox, trumpeter Tom Moffett, saxophonist Julian Nalli, and vocalists Erin Costelo and Mel Stone.

Before releasing Papercut, Carleton released his 2011 self-titled debut and 2014’s Draws Blood. He is also half of the pop duo Port Cities and an in-demand producer and songwriter. Carleton worked on Jake’s Take friend Willie Stratton’s critically acclaimed Drugstore Dreamin.’ He also wrote songs with and for Classified, Donovan Woods, Mo Kenney, Neon Dreams, and Ria Mae.

In this edition of The Jake’s Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Carleton Stone spoke about facing the obstacles breaking into the North American music market and the stories behind several of his songs, including “Blood is Thicker Than Water,” “Papercut,” “Monte Carlo,” and “House in the Hills.” Carleton and I also shared our mutual admiration for Andrew Watt, Bruce Springsteen, and Survivor.