A regular on the local Sydney gig scene, Jack Carty is every bit the clean cut boy you want to take home to Mum. His 2009 EP is a complete reflection of this; laidback tunes mix with thoughtful, catchy lyrics to create a standout record.

To sum this EP up in one word would be near impossible; there are moments of bouncy lightheartedness, such as in the opening track 'Sunlight', as well as darker moments found in the closing track 'The Sailor Song'. And tracks such as 'Wine and Consequence' provide both. But throughout the EP the listener is confronted with a sense that this music is genuine. Jack Carty is not a man of smoke and mirrors. He is a man with a story, usually about a girl, and he just wants to share it with you. If it weren’t over a guitar, it would be over a beer, and Carty’s relaxed charm would be just as obvious.

The catchy first track 'Sunlight' invites you in and gets you hooked. 'Wine and Consequence' is a love song of sorts and will definitely leave you looking for someone to hold close at night. 'Amber’s Lullaby' lives up to its title with its soothing melodies, leaving you a little jealous and a little curious for the namesake. Carty picks up the pace with 'It’ll Be A While', a song which speaks as directly to the listener as it does to the subject when Carty assures us “It’ll take a while, but I know we’ll be fine.” 'Satellite' is Carty’s ode to the road as it were, another beautiful melody which allows a sense of ease to wash over as you listen. The EP closes with 'The Sailor Song', another beautifully crafted song with a slightly more melancholy message as Jack Carty pines for “someone who’d listen” and “someone who’d care.”

Perhaps “pretty” would be the best word to sum up Jack Carty’s efforts as one can’t help but feel that with every note he plays the girls fall deeper in love him, and luckily enough, Jack Carty has the charm and wit to make their boyfriends pretty fond of him as well. 

Review Score: 8.5/10