Every Acre

Description

Every Acre, the new album by H.C. McEntire, addresses themes that encompass grief, loss, and connections to the land and loved ones. And the claim—claiming the land, claiming oneself, claiming ancestry and heritage—permeates the landscape painted by this poignant collection of songs. The songs straddle the line between music and poetry. Infused with heartbeat-like drums, "Shadows" unfolds laments about abandonment and loss—memory, and the act of moving forward. "Dovetail" is a song that speaks of different women. The song alternates between solo piano and the addition of bass and drums beneath the vocals. McEntire's soft, trembling vibrato—harmonized in festive thirds—recalls a psalm of rejoicing and radiates through these images, leaving the listener grappling with emotions—such as wonder, sadness, nostalgia—that can only arise from these juxtapositions. Every Acre explores the surface of our physical and emotional homes. Its songs seek the kind of home we all long for: a place to rest and lay down our burdens and losses. And perhaps by moving through every square inch of a world that often tries to dismantle our identity and heritage, McEntire sheds light on what it means to be human in all our complexity.