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.
Yellowstone
S. Carey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I dreamt that we packed the car and ended up in Yellowstone
And I, I wanna see the fortress under the moon tree
And time, and time will tell all of what you need to know from me
Safe's the kind of word that makes a love grow old and die
I knelt, I wept, the grass was blue caramel, and the well went dry
Lose our minds
And I, I wanna see a fortress under the moon tree
And time, and time will tell all of what you need to know from me
I say, meet at sunup
Meet me where the map ends
I want you in my forest
When I'm like a painting (it's a dream)
It's what you're scared to know from me
I want you in my forest
Know this, know I'm like a painting (it's a dream)
It's what you're scared to know from me
I want you in my forest
I know I'd like a painting
It's what you're scared to know from me
I want you in my forest
I know I'm like a painting
It's what you're scared to know from me
The first verse is about a past conflict between the singer and someone else, possibly a romantic interest. Despite this, the singer dreams of packing up and going to Yellowstone National Park with them. The location could represent a desire to escape and start anew, or a place of soothing beauty that they hope would heal their relationship.
The second verse mentions how the word "safe" can be detrimental to a relationship, suggesting that taking risks is necessary to keep love alive. The singer describes a vivid and surreal scene, as if they were dreaming again, of kneeling and weeping in blue grass next to a dry well. The line "And we should lose our way before we lose our minds" implies that they want to embrace uncertainty and spontaneity in order to keep their sanity.
The chorus repeats the singer's desire to see a fortress under a moon tree, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for finding stability and safety under the comforts of nature. They are confident that time will reveal what needs to be known.
The final stanza is addressed to someone specifically, asking them to meet at dawn and travel to the end of the map, to a forest where the singer wants them present. They then repeat the line "know I'm like a painting, it's what you're scared to know from me," which could suggest that the singer feels misunderstood or that they themselves don't fully understand their own desires and emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
And in the past I know that we've ended on a sour tone
I am aware that we have parted in a bad way before
I dreamt that we packed the car and ended up in Yellowstone
I had a dream where we left for Yellowstone in a car
And I, I wanna see the fortress under the moon tree
I have a desire to witness the fortress beneath the moon tree
And time, and time will tell all of what you need to know from me
In due course, everything you need to learn from me will reveal itself
Safe's the kind of word that makes a love grow old and die
The word 'safe' can cause a relationship to become unexciting and perish
I knelt, I wept, the grass was blue caramel, and the well went dry
I cried when the well dried up and the grass took on a blue caramel shade
And we should lose our way before we lose our minds
It's better to get lost than to go mad
I say, meet at sunup
Let's meet at sunrise
Meet me where the map ends
Let's meet where the map coverage stops
I want you in my forest
I desire your presence in my woodland
When I'm like a painting (it's a dream)
In my ideal world, I am like a painting
It's what you're scared to know from me
This is what you fear to hear from me
I know I'd like a painting
I feel like a painting
I know I'm like a painting
I'm aware that I resemble a painting
It's what you're scared to know from me
This is what you're afraid to learn about me
I want you in my forest
I want you to be a part of my woodland
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Sean Stanton Carey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rogerDeNiro
Yellowstone
S. Carey
And in the past I know that we've ended on a sour tone
I dreamt that we had packed the car and ended up in Yellowstone
Refrain:
And I, I wanna see the fortress under the willow tree
And time, and time will tell all of what you need to know from me
Safe's the kind of word that makes a love grow old and die
I knelt, I wept, the grass was blue caramel, and the well went dry
And we should lose our way before we lose our minds
Lose our minds
Repeat Refrain
Bridge:
I say, we leave at sun up
Meet me where the map ends
(S. Carey sings) -
I want you ready in the morning
And the paper-sky is warmin'
(Sophie Peyten) sings -
When I, will this
Know I'm like a painting
It's what you need to know from me
When I, for this
Know I'm like a painting
It's what you need to know from me
Well I don't mind for this
Know I'm like a painting
It's what you need to know from me
And I don't mind for this
Know I'm like a paiting
It's what you need to know from me
@Raabje98
Almost nobody around me listens to this kind of music and honestly I feel like people who don’t know the feeling that comes with listening to songs of S Carey / Damien Rice / Bon Iver or anything in this genre are people who won’t be able to understand me truly as a person. These songs are my tears, my pain, the sounds are reflecting my soul🤓
@dimitriskatsoulis4986
Omg so true! I can totally relate! Music selection is a huge part of who you are really...
@abhisheksuvra599
Cools down your mind, no? :)
@laropalina6741
I found out that this guy was the drummer for bon iver and that he has his own side project. This is the first song that came up when I looked him up. All i can say is that my heart just soared the moment I heard the opening, and it's quickly become one of my favourite songs. Thanks so much S. Carey!!!
@abnerkruger2502
I'm from Brazil, and I discovered their music through spotify, and I need to say, what a good discovery to make. high quality music, nice to hear. Greetings from Brazil, keep up the great work.
@delightmediadesign
also just discovered him via spotify. this will be my working-soundtrack today!
@LucasMignoni
Ótimo que o Spotify te trouxe algo bom, pra mim ele só me trouxe desprazer.
@WillAprato1990
Eu sempre escutei essas músicas diferentes. A qualidade da música deles D+. Não tenho Spotify
@brettmaxwell1739
Listen to Bon Iver as well , a band he is in with a genius called Justin Vernon
@VsMordor
the album "hundred acres" is incredibly beautiful. Hello from Kazakhstan