The Portland Singer-Songwriter’s Second Album Adds Muscle Without Losing the Hush
Havre De Grace built his name on quiet acoustic folk, and Into the Wild, his second album, keeps that foundation while pushing into fuller, rowdier territory. The record is out now, and the Portland artist still runs each song on a single voice and an acoustic guitar. This time, though, trumpet, piano, and layered arrangements widen the frame.
You can listen to our full playlist which contains the artist’s music, and know more about the artist’s work by scrolling down the page.
The Sound of Havre De Grace’s Into the Wild
Every track here starts from the same place: one guitar, one vocal. That has always been the core of Havre De Grace, the folk project of Portland singer-songwriter Stefan Auvache Bradley. On Into the Wild, he keeps that spine and builds around it. The production is fuller than before, with instruments chosen as flavour rather than filler. Trumpet and piano surface where a song calls for them, then step back so the guitar and voice stay in front.
The result moves. Where his debut stayed hushed and close, this album has more dynamic range. Some moments get louder and rowdier. Others pull back to the soft, personal folk his listeners already know. As a result, the record breathes, shifting between energy and stillness across its runtime. Nothing here overwhelms the song at its centre.
From a Quiet Debut to a Fuller Second Record
To understand where Into the Wild lands, it helps to know where Havre De Grace started. His debut, I Want to Be Yours and Other Songs, arrived in July 2025. That first record was stripped down and quiet, an introduction to his close, personal style. It set the tone: acoustic guitar, a single voice, and songs that leaned toward the listener.
A year on, the second album steps up the production without stepping away from that identity. The arrangements are richer, the palette wider. Still, the writing stays anchored in the same craft. For Bradley, the process is simple. “I love music and music loves me. I can’t help but play the guitar and write songs. Havre De Grace is the vehicle I use to share what I love with anyone who wants to listen,” he said.
Where “Goodbye, Norma Jeane” Fits
The lead single, Goodbye, Norma Jeane, is already out and gives a clear preview of the album’s range. You can hear it on Spotify. It is more energetic and full than his earlier work, yet it never loses the closeness at its core. In other words, it shows both sides of Into the Wild at once: the new dynamic reach and the soft folk that grounds it.
For listeners deciding whether to press play on the full album, the single is the right door in. It signals what the record does across its length, and it rewards repeat listens.
For Fans of Nick Drake and Iron & Wine
If your rotation includes Nick Drake, Iron & Wine, The Tallest Man on Earth, or Damien Rice, Havre De Grace will feel like a natural fit. Like Nick Drake, he treats the acoustic guitar as a full world on its own. Like Iron & Wine, he lets a hushed vocal carry weight without raising its volume. The Tallest Man on Earth connection is about energy: when Into the Wild gets rowdier, it channels that same restless, percussive acoustic drive. And like Damien Rice, Havre De Grace works the space between a whisper and a swell, using dynamic range as a tool rather than a trick. The comparisons are stylistic, not literal; Bradley writes in his own voice. Even so, they map the territory well.
This is folk for people who actively look for new artists rather than waiting on an algorithm. It suits fans of singer-songwriter records that value the song first and the production second. Above all, it is built for listeners who want intimacy and craft, with enough range to keep a full album moving.
Where to Hear Havre De Grace
GetMusic.News curator team: “What sells Into the Wild is restraint. Havre De Grace lets the arrangements grow without ever crowding the voice, so the record gains muscle and keeps its heart. It is folk that trusts the song.”
Into the Wild is out now on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major platforms via DistroKid. You can stream the album on Apple Music, YouTube Music, Bandcamp, SoundCloud, and Amazon Music. To follow the project, connect with Havre De Grace on Spotify, his YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram, or read more on his official site. For folk listeners who value the song above all, Havre De Grace is a name worth following.
