'Hundred Acres' finds Carey at his most confident, mature, and grounded, writing the strongest songs of his career. 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', centered around guitar, synths, pedal steel, strings, drums and percussion, with his soothing vocals front and center -- 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.
