Be Not Nobody: Limited Edition Red Vinyl LP

The 2002 debut from this 21 year-old singer-songwriter (and classically-trained pianist) went platinum and scored a Top Five single with “A Thousand Miles” and another Top 40 hit with “Ordinary Day.” That kind of commercial success might predispose one to presume that Carlton was another in a long line of Madonna descendants named Britney or Mandy or Christina. Instead, her earnest songwriting, positively Wakeman-like piano chops, and some ambitious production touches (from producer Ron Fair) land her squarely in the Fiona/Alanis/Tori camp of young female singer-songwriters, with maybe a little Alicia Keys in there, too. Sure, the lyrics are heart-on-the-sleeve, maybe even a little nave but is that such a bad thing when you’re only 21? (And big props for having the audacity to cover the Stones’ “Paint It Black!”) Be Not Nobody makes its worldwide debut on vinyl with a package worthy of its artistic vision: a beautiful gatefold package with printed inner sleeve featuring full lyrics and credits.