Debut album from Good Carver

Hailing from Fort Collins, Good Carver is an indie folk outfit whose music slowly opens itself up, tinged by a sense of patience that feels increasingly hard to come by. With intricate guitar work, heartfelt vocals and carefully placed instrumentation that includes cello, drums and bass, they craft a timeless output that values space as much as sound.

Since starting out, Good Carver has used music as a way of asking questions rather than answering them; themes of time, humanity and responsibility are explored through lyrics that feel reflective and deeply meaningful. The songs host a contrast that allows silence to carry impact alongside melody, revealing itself in gentle moments as opposed to declarations.

In 2021, they made their artistic entrance with their debut EP, Winter 20/21, before taking a hiatus from sharing their sound with the world. Earlier this year, they returned with new material, releasing a trio of singles in the build up to their most ambitious release thus far, their debut full-length record titled The Steps We Have to Take. The singles, “Calmer Waters,” “Collecting Clouds” and “Questions (from Leon Trotsky Trout),” served as entry points into this new chapter, the lead track in particular found its way onto community radio stations across Colorado, offering a wider introduction to the project’s developing sound.

The Steps We Have to Take moves through questions of inherited patterns and individual choice, examining how people learn behaviours, repeat them, and sometimes only recognise those cycles after they’ve taken hold. The imagery stitched through the album amplifies that feeling, with references to rivers, storms, flight and circular motion creating a sense of constant movement, mirroring the way time accelerates and loops back on itself.

“Calmer Waters” opens the record with the laid back plucks of soft guitar notes and the mellow taps of percussion before the smooth vocals glides in to thread breezy melodic leads into the charming musical fabric. Developing with graceful strings and subtly catchy vocal lines, it’s a stellar showcase of the band’s enduring songwriting and knack for balancing folk vibes with wide appeal. “Collecting Clouds” follows with lilting rhythmic sway, slowing things down to cast a tender musical experience of storytelling lyricism and soothing instrumentation.

“Questions (from Leon Trotsky Trout)” follows with the soft rustle of drums and sparse guitar backing as hushed vocals float above to form an intimate musical experience. Other highlights on the record include songs like “Us Hunters” with its delicate flicker of airy guitar notes and brushed percussion capped by gentle vocal delivery while elegant cello textures drift throughout, offering a delightful sound that extends an invitation to pause and sink into the music.

With “Too Late,” the band delivers an engrossing scene where the steady patter of drums and mesmeric blend of strings and lightly gritty guitars underpin moving vocals. Title track “The Steps We Have to Take” gradually drifts into focus with the distant echo of hovering textures before the muted plucks of guitar notes and velvety vocals form a dreamy soundscape that develops with beautiful harmonies and a sense of quiet sonic bliss.

Closing the album with “Time to Go,” the warm stretch of cello, calming plucks of guitar and drums combine to craft an enticing arrangement as peaceful vocal layers alternate with stunning string flourishes to offer a truly enamouring final moment on Good Carver’s incredible debut record. Offering a superb display of their shared sonic vision, Good Carver present a magical musical work that’s sure to win over fans around the world and we can’t wait to see what they’ve got lined up next.

Listen to The Steps We Have to Take below