At its core, the album is a poetic treatise on what is truly necessary in life, a surprisingly utilitarian art project that underscores the power of enduring. Carey challenges himself and the listener to strive for a near-utopian ideal of returning to a simpler way of life, and loving those around you, to heal personal wounds.
Carey employed a smaller, more focused scale of instrumentation on 'Hundred Acres', centred around guitar, synths, pedal steel, strings, drums and percussion, with his soothing vocals front and centre - more distinct than ever. In effect, the album’s production echoes its underlying message: the beauty in simplicity. Relying on more traditional song structures instead of the Steve Reich-ian repetitions of his past work, a new balance is struck that creates something unique. The result is a collection of poetic yet clear-eyed songs that both stand brightly on their own and tightly weave together to create a powerful album.
Written over the course of a few years, in between touring schedules and the growth of his family, Carey recorded, mixed and produced Hundred Acres at home and in various studios in rural Wisconsin with support from his longtime collaborators Zach Hanson, Ben Lester, and Jeremy Boettcher, as well as new contributions from Rob Moose (yMusic), Casey Foubert (Sufjan Stevens) and Sophie Payten (Gordi).
Hundred Acres is available on translucent green vinyl (JAG311LP-C1).