The debut album is the result of a young lifetime spent immersed in music. As a band member of Bon Iver from the very beginning, Carey endured a flip of his formal training to step firmly into a worldwide-touring rock band. His performance degree in classical percussion from the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and his love for jazz drumming prepared him for a central role in the inspiring force of the Bon Iver live show.
All We Grow is a convergence of Carey's Waltz For Debbie era Bill Evans inflected jazz tendencies, and traditional rock band experience, taking leads from Mark Hollis' Talk Talk. It also retests the waters of modern classical composition, investigating the moodiness generated by percussive repetition in a manner familiar to fans of Steve Reich. In his downtime on tour with Bon Iver, Sean would spend time pining for his soul-mate's arms, and in that context, dreaming and composing. During infrequent tour breaks at home he would patiently record these pieces, adding layers each time. Two years later, the parts converged to make an album.
For as much room to breathe as Carey allows his compositions, there are incredibly dynamic moments of bombast held right next to moments of subtle depth and texture. Engineered by Jaime Hansen and Brian Joseph, intermittently at home and at April Base (Justin Vernon's studio outside Eau Claire), All We Grow is an all-encompassing headphone experience as intimate as chamber music and as ambitious as a symphony.
While many are familiar with the cabin mythology of Bon Iver, the story behind Sean joining the band is equally kismet. After hearing through mutual friends that Justin was looking to put together a band, he spent two weeks in his bedroom listening to For Emma, Forever Ago on Myspace, dissecting and learning the drum and vocal parts so well that Justin invited him to join the band upon Sean's approach.
All We Grow is a classic album born without expectation and met with adoration - a cathartic result of Carey's extraordinary and vibrant life experiences that resonates loss, dreams and heart in a manner so instantly relatable, you feel as though you can touch it.
Fire-Scene
S. Carey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trapped behind the earth
Digging in your deepest dirt
The reddest hue
Reminds you of you
Clinging love and falling true
On and On
All I want is honesty
Tree has snapped
Sparks are flying everywhere
Cables burnt and lines flare
And when the all in all
Comes falling down
It was just an accident
Something you can't help
On and On
All I want is honesty
The beginning of S. Carey's song "Fire-scene" paints a vivid picture of a city going up in flames. The lyric "the city's fire trapped behind the earth" conjures up imagery of a raging inferno, with flames so hot that they seem to come from the depths of the earth. The line "digging in your deepest dirt" could be interpreted as a metaphor for facing one's deepest fears or confronting the darkest parts of oneself, as if the city itself is being forced to confront something it has long ignored.
As the song progresses, the lyrics become more introspective. The mention of "the reddest hue" and "clinging love" suggests a romantic relationship, but it's unclear whether this is a positive or negative association. The line "reminds you of you" could be interpreted as a realization that the person being addressed has been projecting their own issues onto the relationship, or that they are recognizing similarities between themselves and their partner.
The chorus, "On and On, all I want is honesty," seems to be a plea for clarity and open communication. It's possible that the fires of the previous verses represent some kind of conflict or turmoil, and the singer is hoping for a resolution that involves honesty and the stripping away of pretense.
Overall, "Fire-scene" is a complex song that balances images of destruction with introspection and a desire for honesty and clarity. It's possible that the fires are a metaphor for a personal crisis or conflict, and the song's message is that the only way to move forward is to confront the truth.
Line by Line Meaning
The city's fire
The destructive blaze affecting the city
Trapped behind the earth
The uncontrollable inferno confined and contained within the ground
Digging in your deepest dirt
The fire is relentlessly burning through the earth and causing destruction
The reddest hue
The vibrant shade of red indicative of the intensity of the fire and its destruction
Reminds you of you
The fire reminds you of the pain and struggles that you have gone through in life
Clinging love and falling true
Despite the destructive nature of the fire, there is still a sense of love and hope that persists and endures
On and On
Repetitive longing and searching for something
All I want is honesty
The artist desires truth and sincerity in all aspects of life
Tree has snapped
The fire has caused destruction to the trees, breaking them apart
Sparks are flying everywhere
The flames are spreading and causing chaos and destruction in all directions
Cables burnt and lines flare
The fire has damaged the infrastructure and utilities of the city, causing further chaos and difficulties
And when the all in all
When everything is considered and taken into account
Comes falling down
When everything collapses and falls apart
It was just an accident
Despite the devastation and destruction caused by the fire, it was not intentionally started
Something you can't help
The fire was caused by external factors beyond anyone's control
Contributed by Eliana R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.