S. Carey

On his debut, Bon Iver percussionist Sean Carey doesn't stray far from the hushed folk of his day job. Quiet and subtle are the names of the games on All We Grow, but Carey forgoes the lush harmonies that became the hallmark of his work with Justin Vernon. Instead, he concentrates on atmospherics, creating the same haunting vibes. With only nine tracks, clocking in at less than 40 minutes, Carey's debut feels a bit too short, compounded by the fact that songs like "Move" and instrumental "Rothko Fields" sound more like sketches than full-blown songs. Elsewhere, the record crescendos with "In the Dirt" and six-minute closer "Broken," making up for whatever shortcomings came beforehand. Carey has carved out a nice little niche for himself with All We Grow, related to, but not dependent on, his work with Vernon. Hopefully, he'll continue toiling outside of Bon Iver to bring his songwriting into its own.