Hundred Acres by S. Carey
'Hundred Acres' finds Carey at his most confident, mature, and grounded, writing the strongest songs of his career. At its core, the album is a poetic treatise on what is truly necessary in life, a surprisingly utilitarian art project that underscores the power of enduring. Carey challenges himself and the listener to strive for a near-utopian ideal of returning to a simpler way of life, and loving those around you, to heal personal wounds.
Carey employed a smaller, more focused scale of instrumentation on 'Hundred Acres', centered around guitar, synths, pedal steel, strings, drums and percussion, with his soothing vocals front and center -- more distinct than ever. In effect, the album’s production echoes its underlying message: the beauty in simplicity. Relying on more traditional song structures instead of the Steve Reich-ian repetitions of his past work, a new balance is struck that creates something unique. The result is a collection of poetic yet clear-eyed songs that both stand brightly on their own and tightly weave together to create a powerful album.
Tracklist
| 1. | Rose Petals | 3:34 |
| 2. | Hideout | 2:53 |
| 3. | Yellowstone | 3:51 |
| 4. | True North | 4:36 |
| 5. | Emery | 2:53 |
| 6. | Hundred Acres | 3:52 |
| 7. | More I See | 4:04 |
| 8. | Fool's Gold | 4:15 |
| 9. | Have You Stopped to Notice | 3:57 |
| 10. | Meadow Song | 3:57 |
Credits
'Hundred Acres' was produced by Carey, with engineering and co-production from Zach Hanson and Chris Messina. The album was predominantly recorded at April Base in Fall Creek, WI, and features backing vocals by Gordi on three songs, musical contributions from Casey Foubert (Sufjan Stevens) and signature string arrangements from Rob Moose (yMusic), as well as art direction and photography by longtime collaborator Cameron Wittig.
License
All rights reserved.
S. Carey’s chosen musical expression is a hugely beatific, restorative panorama of beauty - perfect given how landscape and the wonder of nature inspire much of Carey’s imagery. Like a weathered mountain range changing shadow form and color, or the ebb and flow of a river’s current, his music is simultaneously restful and rhythmic, complex and simple, and always evolving.