Sean Carey, first and foremost, is a student. After earning a performance degree in classical percussion at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, he studied Bon Iver’s For Emma, Forever Ago to a T and wound up as Justin Vernon’s touring percussionist.
But in between his studying of music—and Bon Iver tours—Carey is a composer and arranger. In 2010, he released All We Grow, a record that explores the intricacies of folk music and builds songs by layering vocal takes and percussive instruments. And since then he’s released the laptop-fueled Hoyas and this year’s Range of Light, two records that reward attention to detail and show Carey using his understated voice as merely another layer in his intricate and delicate compositions.
Carey will be performing at the Majestic Theatre tonight alongside Milwaukee’s own Vic & Gab. If 10-dollar tickets isn’t reason enough for you to pop on down, here are some songs that should sway you in favor of catching what’s sure to be a cozy and marvelous night of music.
“In the Dirt”
“In the Dirt” was my introduction to Carey’s solo work. Like his handiwork in Bon Iver, it’s layered with gorgeous harmonies. Yet in the way those harmonies intertwine with piano loops and sweet sax lines, Carey creates something unique: an intricate track that builds and buckles only to rise again.
“In the Stream”
“In the Stream” is All We Grow’s sister-song to “In the Dirt.” It’s sparse and more reflective than its sibling, however, and—unlike the majority of All We Grow—it features Carey’s graceful vocals front and center in the mix.
“Two Angles”
Unlike Carey’s previous output, his Hoyas EP was composed and recorded almost entirely on his laptop. Though the record retains Carey’s knack for building soundscapes out of loops, this time he does so using electronic drums. With its horn parts and electronic bass line, EP opener “Two Angles” finds a supreme balance between the actual and the digital.
“Fire-scene”
Carey’s 2014 release, Range of Light, finds the artist reverting back to the sounds he explored on his debut. First-single “Fire-scene” sounds like a culmination of Carey’s output thus far, highlighting his pitch-perfect vocals and his ability to balance tranquility and melancholy.