Break Me Open

by S. Carey

Overview

When Sean Carey first introduced his brand of celestial, orchestrally endowed indie folk in 2010, it seemed like a natural outgrowth of the tones and themes he'd been helping collaborator Justin Vernon explore as a member of Bon Iver. Where Vernon subsequently cast himself as a somewhat mercurial and shape-shifting artist, Carey's solo work outside of Bon Iver has remained rather steadfast in its nature. Over the course of three full-length albums, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has crafted a patient world of glacial chamber folk that calls to mind the aching tenderness of Sufjan Stevens and the icy beauty of Sigur Ros. Carey's fourth record, Break Me Open, does little to disrupt his familiar musical patterns, though its lyrics are certainly more melancholic than earlier outings. Themes of grief, loss, and mortality do battle with gratitude and kindness as his already introspective style veers toward the confessional. As always, Carey's personal moods are deeply intertwined with the natural world, which provides the bedrock of his art. On "Sunshowers," the sweet arpeggios of his piano meet icy digital interference as he stacks rich harmonies that allude to sun-drenched swims and salty tears. The wistful introduction of "Waking Up" sets up one of the album's most vulnerable tracks as the singer tries to reconcile the heartbreak of lost love. Other tracks include "Desolate," "Paralyzed," and "Crestfallen," giving the listener an indication of Carey's struggles. Like his other albums, the music is all very beautiful, if somewhat ephemeral. It's hard to pick out a memorable melody among these ten poignant missives, which tend to run together in a bittersweet blur. ~ Timothy Monger

Product Details

Release Date:	04/22/2022
Label:	JAGJAGUWAR
UPC:	0656605242323

Album Credits

Performance Credits

S. Carey   Primary Artist,Piano,Voices,Harmonium,Synthesizer,Guitar (Acoustic),Drums
Ben Lester   Pedal Steel,Prophet Synthesizer,Percussion
Jeremy Boettcher   Bass (Upright)
CJ Camerieri   Trumpet,Flugelhorn,French Horn
Nick Ball   Voices,Synthesizer,Guitar (Electric)
Chris Messina   Voices
Zach Hanson   Drums,Bass (Electric),Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Eli Teplin   Synthesizer,Piano
Chris Thomson   Clarinet,Sax (Tenor)
John Raymond   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Rob Moose   Viola,Violin

Technical Credits

Ben Lester   Drum Programming,Composer
Huntley Miller   Mastering
Chris Messina   Engineer,Producer,Drum Programming
Zach Hanson   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Cameron Wittig   Photography
S. Carey   Composer,Engineer,Producer
Eli Teplin   Composer
Peter Larson   Photography
Rob Moose   String Arrangements
Brian Joseph   Lighting
Taylor Deupree   Composer,Sequencers