May 14th, 2014 
Drew Caruso 
Under The Gun Review sent staff writer, Drew Caruso, to the Great Scott in Allston, MA on April, 17 to experience S.Carey with support from White Hinterland and Words Like Earth.
If you were unsure, I absolutely loved S. Carey’s new album, Range of Light. It is a masterpiece of sound, highly illuminated by Carey’s natural admiration for the giving Earth around us. Since the songs on Range of Light made it to my ears, I have yet to put it down. With the tracks high on my thoughts, I was more than pleased to attend the Allston stop of S. Carey’s first tour in support of his latest work of art.
Held in the walls of the tiny, intimate, dark and gloomy venue known as Great Scott, the evening was opened by local singer/songwriter Tanner Connelly, who performs under the moniker Words Like Earth. Though it was only Tanner and a guitar onstage, his presence was surely felt. Much like the For Emma era of Bon Iver, mutated with a hint of Dallas Green, Words Like Earth was a much-enjoyed opener to the evening. With a recent Kickstarter that just funded, I am excited to see where Words Like Earth goes in the future. Followed by White Hinterland, a solo act by Massachusetts local Casey Dienel, emotions from parts unknown poured into her performance. Loud, ambient, poppy, strange, and many other states of mind, White Hinterland was an experience I was not expecting.
After White Hinterland finished their set, it was time for S. Carey. An artist I have been waiting to see for quite some time, Sean and his band’s set did not disappoint. Opening with Range of Light opener, “Glass/Film” the mood was set. With images of various branches, horizons, and fields projected onto the band and the cloth that lay behind them, the transcendence had begun. In my review of the album I mentioned that Range of Light takes you somewhere, and I am happy to emit that S. Carey’s live performance has the same natural effect. Each member filling the room with their respective instruments, held together by Sean’s smooth voice with the assistance of harmonies from other members, the band slowly purged the room of anxiety, doubt, and depression, and filled it with inspiration. Sewing through most of the album, coupled with a few old favorites, the entire set was pure beauty. Closing with a cover of “Unravel” by Bjork, with Casey from White Hinterland returning to the stage, the night was complete. The set was perfect without the Bjork cover, but adding a stellar performance of my favorite Bjork song definitely made the night more magical.
With the release of Range of Light close behind us, I urge all lovers of art to give it a chance. The calculated collection of beauty will highlight aspects of the world and life that the listener might have thought unattainable. It is not just an album, but also a vehicle for elevation, solidified by a stellar live performance. With the skies opening for brighter days, and warmer nights, use Range of Light to further expand your appreciation for the gift of nature freely given to us — it may be one of the only things in life that costs nothing.
Review written by Drew Caruso – Follow him on Twitter.
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