Bon Iver colleague Sean Carey released his sophomore LP, Range of Light, last spring, but his creative juices were still flowing; he took advantage of a single weekend to record some acoustic versions of past works. Featuring four redone tunes from his two LPs, a new track and a Radiohead cover, what could easily have been a self-indulgent, superfluous release is used to showcase a different side of Carey's soft folk, which finds the singer and composer focusing on specific elements, to much success.
Supermoon is heartfelt and spiritual, and brings a new intimacy to the old tunes. The largest difference is that the sparseness on the Supermoon versions feels more focused; with a narrower range of instruments to fill the space, Carey has better control over the mood, which feels less scattered than his LPs. The highlight is "In the Stream," the sole representative from Carey's 2010 debut All We Grow. It's a subtle, orchestral stunner, with violins and pianos touchingly complementing Carey's soft tenor; the song's closing violin swell is likely Carey's most touching moment here.
Thematic and cohesive, Supermoon eschews the scattered folk of his LPs for an attentive, intimate perspective on some old tracks that should tide fans of Carey over until his next proper record.
(Jagjaguwar)Supermoon is heartfelt and spiritual, and brings a new intimacy to the old tunes. The largest difference is that the sparseness on the Supermoon versions feels more focused; with a narrower range of instruments to fill the space, Carey has better control over the mood, which feels less scattered than his LPs. The highlight is "In the Stream," the sole representative from Carey's 2010 debut All We Grow. It's a subtle, orchestral stunner, with violins and pianos touchingly complementing Carey's soft tenor; the song's closing violin swell is likely Carey's most touching moment here.
Thematic and cohesive, Supermoon eschews the scattered folk of his LPs for an attentive, intimate perspective on some old tracks that should tide fans of Carey over until his next proper record.