It’s nearly impossible not to compare Sean Carey’s debut All We Grow to the work of the band he normally drums for — indie-folkers Bon Iver. But for Carey’s sake, the inevitability of that comparison isn’t completely fair. The man has done plenty to try and separate himself on this record from the heart and soul of Bon Iver singer-songwriter Justin Vernon.
Upon the first couple of listens, All We Grow is tough to grasp. It’s mostly slow and delicate, likely the same as the recording process. At just under 40 minutes, the album genuinely feels much, much longer. However, giving it some time and wading through all its complex layers uncovers an emotional setting that may not have broken through to your ears during the first few listens.
There are even some surprises, showing that Carey didn’t just go directly to his strengths here, although one wouldn’t know without a little background information. The slight jazz elements that come across in the music stem from Carey’s love for the genre. Furthermore, he applies these elements to near-perfection during the album’s best moments, namely the two most upbeat (a somewhat-misleading term in this case) songs — “In the Dirt” and “We Fell” — of the nine-song collection.
“In the Dirt,” the one exception to the tough-to-grasp talk, delivers the first time it radiates from your headphones (clearly the way to listen to the lush environments Carey’s crafted). Along with the brisk piano, the percussion stamps out an atmosphere that fits Carey’s subdued vocals flawlessly. “If you doubt / that I’ll be there / don’t despair / don’t you dare,” he sings repetitively, though it’s the music that is the main focus throughout All We Grow. A song like this may not conjure a mood as uplifting as its lyrics, but it’s the most reliable journey in a sea of real adventures.
It was expected that there would be more songs along the lines of “In the Dirt” and the jolting instrumental “Action,” especially involving sounds similar to those songs’ percussion parts. He does hold a performance degree in classical percussion, after all. Even just a few more efforts of this type could have gone a very long way in breaking up the doldrums. Opener “Move” doesn’t go anywhere until the 1:20 mark, which would be fine if it were longer than three minutes, while “Rothko Fields” is a rather pointless two-minute instrumental. Maybe worst of all, three otherwise-quality songs on the tail end — “In the Stream,” “All We Grow” and “Broken” — feel like they take a lifetime to get through.
Given you’ll make the effort, there’s just enough here to recommend All We Grow. It’s an ambient album that’s clearly had a lot of love put into it. Then again, if you have the need for something more trustworthy, an umpteenth listen to Justin Vernon’s sensational performance on Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago most certainly suffices.
Hey, like I said, it’s nearly impossible not to compare the two.
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