Closeup: Kim Carnes – St. Vincent’s Court

KIM CARNES – St. Vincent’s Court. EMI America SM17004. Produced by Daniel Moore, Dave Ellingson, Kim Carnes.

Kim Carnes is an artist whose voice makes you search for the proper textured imagery in which to convey its rich and special fabric.

She sings like 3 a.m. in the morning after too many whiskies, too much smoke and not enough coffee. Tender and bruised, a mixture of thick honey and warm brandy, her velvety sandpaper voice reaches into those places where emotions lie restless under the surface of the soul.

How she managed to remain undiscovered through two superb albums for A&M Records is a mystery, especially when they contained some of her finest writing efforts: “You’re a Part of Me”, “And Still Be Loving You”, “The Best of You (Has Got the Best of Me)”, “All He Did Was Tell Me Lies” and the powerful “Do You Love Her”.

Carnes, who co-writes many of her tunes with husband Dave Ellingson, won both the American and Tokyo Song Festivals for “Love Comes from Unexpected Places”, and while she has had her compositions covered by other artists, Carnes herself has never achieved the critical acclaim she deserves.

But this should change now.

St. Vincent’s Court presents a different, more mature side of the singer who has obviously ripened and mellowed in her recording. Carnes’ true strength as a performer comes from her dramatic stylings, her aching, bluesy edges. Few singers possess her heart-wrenching natural vocal quality, and it is hoped that she won’t allow herself to be blurred too far into contemporary MOR arrangements that will detract from her originality.

St. Vincent’s Court represents a joint production collaboration. Wisely, production has been kept imaginative and uncluttered, thrusting Carnes’ voice to the forefront. Musicianship on the LP is excellent, featuring the instrumental mastery of Leland Sklar, Bill Cuomo, Bobby Cochran, Steve Geyer, Tim Weisberg and Little Feat’s Richie Hayward, among others.

The album kicks off with an energetic soft-rocker whose cheerful tempo belies its lyrical content. “What Am I Gonna Do” gives Carnes a chance to stretch her voice against a taut background of instrumentation and harmonies provided by Ellingson and Moore.

A strong candidate for singles action, this cut attains an intriguing bagpipe-inspired flavor accomplished by skilful combination of melodica, banjo and mandolin.

“Jamaica Sunday Morning” paints another picture entirely. Sunny island rhythms gently washed with a haunting refrain are limned by a saxophone that imparts a lonely feel of sandy beaches, lapping waves and tragically-taken love.

“Stay Away” is a ballad reminiscent of her earlier, rough-honed Carnes, imploring and heart-broken, trying to hold on to her brave façade. The song intros with a simple acoustic piano to accentuate the husky vulnerability of her vocal as she wavers, caught in the torment of emotion, between determination and desperation that escalates into a fervent crescendo of orchestration.

“Lookin’ for a Big Night” evokes images of Smokey Robinson and Bruce Springsteen in its funky, hypnotically rhythmic tracks, strong bass line and backgrounds.

The title cut, “Paris Without You (St. Vincent’s Court)”, is a poignant interlude in which Carnes sings wistfully of her longing to travel ‘round the world with her love: “We’d go to Paris/The perfect time of year/We’d go all around the world /We’d go everywhere/But first we’d go to Paris/Cuz’ I’ve always wanted to/And I just can’t imagine/Walking Paris without you.”

“It Hurts So Bad” is the initial single from the album, penned by Carnes and rushed to vinyl just before the LP was mastered in its final form. It’s a welcome inclusion as Carnes give yearning expression to her unfulfilled passion with an air of street-wise resignation.

The flowing ambience of the 11 tunes contained in this package is that of vintage wine, of smokey ardor and restrained emotion. The combination should win Kim, this time around, a legion of admirers.

Kip Kirby. Billboard. February 17, 1979. Page 81.