It’s expected that songwriters will bare their soul, leaving no secrets behind while performing their craft, but perhaps not in the same manner as Bart Ramsey. As one-half of the New Orleanian duo Ramsey & Vaan, Ramsey’s artistic signature defies conventionality. While others often lead you through the landmines of life’s dark side, Ramsey’s similar portrayals become so intriguing, you have to wonder what makes this songsmith tick.

There’s frequently a mysterious air wafting about his songs, like the line “write a Chinese letter in the afternoon” as heard on the title song. (Is it a single Chinese letter, a letter written in Chinese or one that’s in the post to China?) Or how about the unexpected lyrical twists that revel in their own whimsy—“Well, I might go to heaven / and I might just go to hell / And I might just go to Shreveport / jukin’ for a spell” on “Three Marias.” Indeed, Ramsey’s lyrics are never predictable, marked by clever word plays that abound throughout such as “I won’t say if you taste good or that you got good taste” on the finger-snappin’ “Spanish Wine and Black Coffee.”

Like other songwriters’ darkish outlooks, Ramsey has those too, such as tales of addiction on “The Stuff,” whose drama is only heightened by Charlie Miller’s emotive trumpet solo. Yet, for such soul-baring, there’s plenty of countering levity, especially “Rough Around the Edges,” a song many open-collared guys could raise an exuberant fist for. The arrangements, featuring Ramsey’s maestro piano playing and Neti Vaan’s haunting, soulful fiddling, are highly melodic, packed with exquisite playing. As a vocalist, Vaan is equally engaging, swinging and singing the Cab Calloway popularized tune “A Chicken Ain’t Nothing But a Bird,” one of the few non-originals heard here.

Between introspective examinations, the couple adroitly plays border-less, multicultural instrumentals like Bill Monroe’s “Jerusalem Ridge,” a gypsy jazz romper “Fin De Siècle” and the Celtic-flavored “Sergeant Early’s Dream.” It all exceeds expectations, especially guitarist Rob Halverson’s tasty playing on the latter. The closing tune, “Ruben’s Dream” is the perfect nightcap with its classical Pachelbelian-like textures. And you thought you knew all of New Orleans’ musical treasures.

Bart Ramsey and Neti Vaan will celebrate the release of In Search Of A Cheap Hotel on December 9 at Carrollton Station.