Iron & Wine | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Iron & Wine is the name that singer/songwriter Sam Beam uses to send his intimate and heartfelt indie folk out into the world. His deeply burnished vocals, keen melodic sensibility, and introspective, free-flowing lyrical viewpoint combine to give him a singular artistic vision. The first Iron & Wine album (2002s lo-fi classic The Creek Drank the Cradle) made Beam one of the preeminent artists of the first wave of indie folk. Despite the albums success, he was loath to repeat himself, and Iron & Wine constantly shifted its musical identity over the years, making records that were diverse and political (2007s Shepherds Dog), studio-slick and played by a big band (2011s Kiss Each Other Clean), or relaxed and pastoral (2017s Beast Epic). No matter the approach, Beams vocals and songs have remained strong, and the records hes made have both challenged and comforted listeners. Beam chose the moniker Iron & Wine after coming across a dietary supplement named "Beef Iron & Wine" while working on a film. Raised in South Carolina, Beam received his Bachelors degree in art from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and later his Master of Fine Arts degree from Florida State University film school. All along he had been writing songs, but once a friend lent him a 4-track he began recording them in his bedroom. He sent demos to friends, a song ended up on a compilation, and his music caught the ear of Jonathan Poneman, co-owner of Sub Pop Records. He requested that additional material be sent to the label for submission, and Beam responded by sending two CDs in the mail -- both of them full-length albums. Poneman considered releasing them both, but instead slimmed the set down to 12 songs and released it in September 2002 as The Creek Drank the Cradle. The similarly themed The Sea & the Rhythm EP followed in 2003. It was Beams 2004 full-length, Our Endless Numbered Days, that signaled his arrival on the indie pop scene. Recorded in Chicago with producer Brian Deck, the album was resolutely hi-fi, but the addition of a full band only illuminated Beams deft lyricism and intimate vocal delivery, resulting in one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the year. Late 2004 found the newly marketable Iron & Wine popping up on television commercials and movie soundtracks (In Good Company, Garden State), culminating in a busy 2005 that saw Beam release two EPs, the lush Woman King and In the Reins, a collaboration with Arizona spaghetti Western aficionados Calexico. The politically charged Shepherds Dog, Beam and companys most diverse -- and most listenable -- record to date, was released in 2007. A two-disc collection of B-sides, rarities, soundtrack inclusions, and discarded tracks from the Iron & Wine archives called Around the Well arrived in early 2009. Kiss Each Other Clean, Iron & Wines first collection of new music in nearly three years and one that found Beam further expanding the groups sound, was released in January 2011 by their new label, Warner Bros. After a move to 4AD and Nonesuch, Iron & Wine released the more relaxed and intimate Ghost on Ghost in early 2013. The Brian Deck-produced album featured jazz drummer Brian Blade and bassist Tony Garnier of Bob Dylans band, among others. Over the next few years, Beam stayed busy working with other artists. In 2015, he and Band of Horses frontman Ben Bridwell released an album of covers called Sing Into My Mouth, and in 2016 Beam and singer/songwriter Jesca Hoop collaborated on Love Letter for Fire. Later that year, Beam went back to the studio with a band that included longtime Iron & Wine collaborators keyboardist Rob Burger, percussionist Joe Adamik, and string player Jim Becker, and began work on the next Iron & Wine album. It was produced by Beam in stripped-down fashion using mostly live takes and minimal overdubs. Fittingly, the return to the way he used to make records was matched by a return to the bands old label, Sub Pop. They issued Beast Epic in August of 2017. During the tour that followed, the same band took a couple days at a Chicago studio to record a handful of songs written for Beast Epic that didnt make the final cut. They also cut a version of longtime fan favorite "Waves of Galveston" for the EP, which was titled Weed Garden and issued by Sub Pop in August of 2018. Beam returned to the studio with previous collaborators Calexico in 2018 to record the follow-up to their 2005 EP, In the Reins. The resulting album, Years to Burn, which paired Beams stripped-back acoustics with Calexicos widescreen Americana, was issued at the beginning of 2019. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 20 Title: The Creek Drank the Cradle Released: 2002-09-24 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Lions Mane (02:49) 2 Bird Stealing Bread (04:21) 3 Faded From the Winter (03:17) 4 Promising Light (02:49) 5 The Rooster Moans (03:24) 6 Upward Over the Mountain (05:56) 7 Southern Anthem (03:54) 8 An Angry Blade (03:48) 9 Weary Memory (04:01) 10 Promise What You Will (02:24) 11 Muddy Hymnal (02:43) |
| The Creek Drank the Cradle : Allmusic album Review : Iron and Wines debut record, The Creek Drank the Cradle, is written, produced, and performed by Sam Beam and features only Beams voice, a gently strummed acoustic guitar, some slide guitar, and the occasional banjo. Iron and Wine creates intimate and emotional songs, recorded bedroom-style but never letting the lo-fi get in the way of the tune. The obvious comparison has to be Lou Barlow/Sebadoh/Sentridoh, as they share the same breathy voice, melancholy outlook on life, and devotion to Nick Drake. The difference is that there are no traces of punk rock or noise for the sake of noise in Iron and Wines music. Beam isnt interested in rocking out or obscuring the beauty that bursts from within his simple songs; he embraces it and lets his sadness twist in the wind for all to see. Besides, his vocal harmonies are more soft rock than punk rock. "Lions Mane" opens the record and immediately takes your breath away as Beams voice is so beautiful and his hooks are razor sharp. Every song that follows is just as memorable, Beam sounding positively angelic as he harmonizes with himself. "The Rooster Moans" is a chilling side trip into Appalachian folk; "Southern Anthem" a falsetto-led indie-gospel track with an absolutely soaring chorus. The simple musical backing never gets boring either, as there are musical hooks to match the vocal hooks -- the banjo in "Lions Mane," the double-tracked repeating slide at the end of "Faded from the Winter," the gently chugging rhythm of "Upward Over the Mountain." As soon as the almost jaunty, Neil Young-esque album closer, "Muddy Hymnal," ends, youll want to hit repeat and start again. The Creek Drank the Cradle is a stunning debut and one of the best records of 2002. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 20 Title: The Sea & the Rhythm Released: 2003-09-09 Tracks: 5 Duration: 21:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Beneath the Balcony (03:30) 2 The Sea and the Rhythm (05:23) 3 The Night Descending (03:13) 4 Jesus the Mexican Boy (04:56) 5 Someday the Waves (04:14) |
 | Album: 3 of 20 Title: Our Endless Numbered Days Released: 2004-03-23 Tracks: 14 Duration: 50:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 On Your Wings (03:53) 2 Naked as We Came (02:32) 3 Cinder and Smoke (05:44) 4 Sunset Soon Forgotten (03:19) 5 Teeth in the Grass (02:21) 6 Love and Some Verses (03:40) 7 Radio War (01:56) 8 Each Coming Night (03:27) 9 Free Until They Cut Me Down (04:34) 10 Fever Dream (04:16) 11 Sodom, South Georgia (04:59) 12 Passing Afternoon (04:09) 13 Belated Promise Ring (03:46) 14 Homeward, These Shoes (01:34) |
| Our Endless Numbered Days : Allmusic album Review : On Our Endless Numbered Days, the follow-up to 2002s stunningly good Creek Drank the Cradle, the sound of Iron & Wine has changed but the song remains the same. No longer does Sam Beam record his intimate songs in the intimate surroundings of his home. Instead he has made the jump to the recording studio. As a result the record is much cleaner, less cocoon-like, certainly more the product of someone who has become a professional musician and not someone who just records for fun on a four-track. However, all Beam has sacrificed is sound quality. The sound of the record is still very intimate and simple, with very subtle arrangements that leave his voice and lyrics as the focal point. Luckily all the technology in the world cant affect Beams voice, which still sounds like it comes right from his lips into your ear as if he were an angel perched on your shoulder. His songs are still as strong and memorable as they were on Creek, no drop off whatsoever in quality. "Naked as We Came" with sparkling melody lovely background harmonies by his sister Sarah; the aching folk ballad "Radio War," which wouldnt sound out of place on Prairie Home Companion, only it would be the best thing you ever heard there; the sad and sweet "Each Coming Night"; the crystalline acoustic guitar ballad "Fever Dream," which has the kind of vocal harmony between Beam and his sister that seems to be the exclusive domain of siblings; and the soft rock CSNY "Sodom, South Georgia" are the equal of anything on Iron & Wines debut and match up well with anything Palace, Smog, or their ilk have done lately. A definite plus to recording in a studio and enlisting the help of outside musicians is that there is much more variety to the album and there are lots of small production touches that liven things up like the Native American chants at the close of "Cinder and Smoke," the pedal steel guitar on "Sunset Soon Forgotten," and the drums and tambourine on the bluesy "Free Until They Cut Me Down." Our Endless Numbered Days is very subdued, thoughtful, melodic, and downright beautiful album and the new sound is more of a progression than a sudden shift in values, production or otherwise. Anyone who found the first album to be wonderful will no doubt feel the same about this one. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 20 Title: iTunes Exclusive EP Released: 2004-06-22 Tracks: 4 Duration: 17:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 No Moon (04:15) 2 Sinning Hands (05:30) 3 Friends They Are Jewels (04:14) 4 Peng! 33 (03:25) |
 | Album: 5 of 20 Title: Woman King Released: 2005-02-22 Tracks: 6 Duration: 23:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Woman King (04:20) 2 Jezebel (05:07) 3 Gray Stables (03:55) 4 Freedom Hangs Like Heaven (03:59) 5 My Ladys House (03:32) 6 Evening on the Ground (Liliths Song) (03:04) |
 | Album: 6 of 20 Title: 2005-06-11: Bonnaroo Festival, TN, USA Released: 2005-06 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:26:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Sunset Soon Forgotten (04:45) 2 Jezebel (04:40) 3 Woman King (04:26) 4 Free Until They Cut Me Down (05:12) 5 Cinder and Smoke (05:52) 6 Evening on the Ground (Liliths Song) (03:16) 7 Love and Some Verses (04:11) 8 Bird Stealing Bread (04:42) 9 Mr. Soul (04:05) 10 The Night Descending (02:53) 1 Naked as We Came (03:37) 2 Fever Dream (05:54) 3 On Your Wings (04:06) 4 Freedom Hangs Like Heaven (04:28) 5 Upward Over the Mountain (04:36) 6 Teeth in the Grass (03:21) 7 Southern Anthem (05:15) 8 My Ladys House (03:27) 9 The Trapeze Swinger (07:58) |
 | Album: 7 of 20 Title: In the Reins Released: 2005-09-12 Tracks: 7 Duration: 27:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 He Lays in the Reins (03:43) 2 Prison on Route 41 (04:10) 3 A History of Lovers (03:09) 4 Red Dust (03:31) 5 Sixteen, Maybe Less (04:49) 6 Burn That Broken Bed (05:06) 7 Dead Man’s Will (03:13) |
 | Album: 8 of 20 Title: Fall 2007 Released: 2007 Tracks: 8 Duration: 26:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Devil Never Sleeps (02:03) 2 Boy with a Coin (02:22) 3 Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car (04:20) 4 Peace Beneath the City (03:09) 5 Lovesong of the Buzzard (03:43) 6 Innocent Bones (03:24) 7 Flightless Bird, American Mouth (02:49) 8 Resurrection Fern (04:35) |
 | Album: 9 of 20 Title: The Shepherds Dog Released: 2007-09-23 Tracks: 14 Duration: 56:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car (04:32) 2 White Tooth Man (03:57) 3 Lovesong of the Buzzard (04:26) 4 Carousel (04:02) 5 House by the Sea (04:21) 6 Innocent Bones (03:42) 7 Wolves (Song of the Shepherds Dog) (04:57) 8 Resurrection Fern (04:49) 9 Boy With a Coin (04:05) 10 The Devil Never Sleeps (02:06) 11 Peace Beneath the City (04:45) 12 Flightless Bird, American Mouth (04:03) 1 Arms of a Thief (03:41) 2 Serpent Charmer (02:39) |
| The Shepherd's Dog : Allmusic album Review : Iron & Wine have shown an impressive work ethic since the release of The Creek Drank the Cradle in 2002. A flood of singles, EPs, and albums, each with high levels of quality, have made Iron & Wine and Sam Beam stars in the indie rock world. Introspective, leaning toward morose, and heavily bearded stars, but glittering just the same. 2007s The Shepherds Dog goes a long way toward validating all the attention I&W have been getting; its their best, most diverse, and most listenable record yet, as Beam and co. take another leap away from the lo-fi, one-dude-in-a-bedroom beginnings of the group. Here Beam surrounds himself with a large cast of musicians, and they blanket the songs with a wide array of instrumentation, everything from accordions to Hammond organ, piano to backward guitars, vibraphone to bass harmonica. Nothing too strange in the everything-goes world of indie rock circa 2007, but for Iron & Wine, its a widescreen revelation. Perhaps working with Calexico on 2005s In the Reins inspired Beam to use all the colors in the paint box. Maybe its a natural progression. Either way it leads to an inspiringly lush album, full of imaginative and rich arrangements. Not to say Beam has cast aside the vital elements that made the band so interesting to begin with; his whispered vocals still conjure shadowy mystery, the songs are still melancholy as hell at their core, and as always theres a lingering sense of Southern gothic foreboding shrouding the proceedings. The increased production values take these elements and goose them. The recognizably I&W songs like the dark and creepy "Peace Beneath the City" or the gloomy country ballad "Resurrection Fern" sound bigger and have a different kind of impact. Take "Boy with a Coin," which in the past would have been spare, spooky, and a bit insular, but now is huge and spooky thanks to the propulsive handclaps and atmospheric backward guitars that would make Daniel Lanois jealous. Along with these pumped-up variations on the bands classic sound, there are songs youd never imagine hearing on an Iron & Wine album. The danceable (!) "House by the Sea" has jumpy Afro-pop underpinnings and a bit of wild abandon in Beams more passionate-than-usual vocals; "Wolves (Song of the Shepherds Dog)" is a funky mix of David Essexs "Rock On," a backwoods-sounding Meters, and of all things, dub reggae; and most shockingly, "The Devil Never Sleeps" actually rocks with a rollicking barroom piano, a loping tempo, bongos, and lyrics about nothing on the radio, leading to a sound thats ironically perfect for the radio. By the end of the record, you may feel a few pangs for the discarded, sparse sound of early Iron & Wine, but the beauty and majesty of The Shepherds Dog will pave right over them, and you should be able to enjoy the masterful songcraft, inspired performance, and note-perfect production with no guilt and a fair bit of awe. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 20 Title: Norfolk 6/20/05 Released: 2009-04-18 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:08:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Sunset Soon Forgotten (03:09) 2 Jezebel (04:13) 3 Woman King (03:55) 4 Free Until They Cut Me Down (04:41) 5 Evening on the Ground (Liliths Song) (02:43) 6 Love and Some Verses (03:38) 7 Bird Stealing Bread (03:53) 8 The Night Descending (02:21) 9 Naked as We Came (02:55) 10 Communion Cups and Someones Coat (02:16) 11 Fever Dream (04:00) 12 On Your Wings (04:06) 13 Freedom Hangs Like Heaven (03:42) 14 Upward Over the Mountain (04:10) 15 Teeth in the Grass (02:19) 16 Southern Anthem (05:32) 17 My Ladys House (02:53) 18 The Trapeze Swinger (07:31) |
 | Album: 11 of 20 Title: Around the Well Released: 2009-05-19 Tracks: 23 Duration: 1:33:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Dearest Forsaken (03:49) 2 Morning (02:41) 3 Loud as Hope (02:56) 4 Peng! 33 (03:25) 5 Sacred Vision (03:19) 6 Friends They Are Jewels (04:14) 7 Hickory (04:35) 8 Waitin’ for a Superman (04:34) 9 Swans and the Swimming (03:24) 10 Call Your Boys (03:47) 11 Such Great Heights (04:12) 1 Communion Cups and Someone’s Coat (02:02) 2 Belated Promise Ring (03:46) 3 God Made the Automobile (03:54) 4 Homeward, These Shoes (01:34) 5 Love Vigilantes (03:26) 6 Sinning Hands (05:30) 7 No Moon (04:15) 8 Serpent Charmer (02:39) 9 Carried Home (06:31) 10 Kingdom of the Animals (05:05) 11 Arms of a Thief (03:41) 12 The Trapeze Swinger (09:31) |
| Around the Well : Allmusic album Review : Named after a lyric from "The Trapeze Swinger," Around the Well collects two discs worth of B-sides, rarities, and discarded tracks from the Iron & Wine catalog. These kinds of compilations can be tricky to assemble, but Around the Well is both comprehensive and conveniently presented, with each disc representing the two amorphous halves of Iron & Wines career. Disc one is limited to the groups early days, meaning its filled with soft bedroom whispers, homespun acoustics, and the lo-fi production that fueled Sam Beams home recording sessions. Material from those same sessions would later form the track list of The Creek Drank the Cradle, but Around the Well pays attention to the songs that were cut from the album, offering several genuine gems amidst a constant stream of pleasant, stay-in-bed songcraft. Meanwhile, the second disc highlights Iron & Wines shift from intimate solo project to collaborative indie folk band, beginning with the Our Endless Numbered Days sessions and culminating in the pastoral psychedelia of The Shepherds Dog. Some of these selections are already familiar to Iron & Wines biggest fans, including Beams cover of "Such Great Heights" (heard on the Garden State soundtrack, as well as an oddly trippy M&Ms commercial) and the gorgeous concert staple "The Trapeze Swinger." Even so, few fans outside of Beams social circle have heard standout tunes like "Kingdom of the Animals" and the vaguely Middle Eastern-sounding "Arms of a Thief," and Around the Well serves as a helpful reminder that a discarded Iron & Wine song is still better than most fine-tuned cuts from other bands. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 20 Title: Kiss Each Other Clean Released: 2011-01-24 Tracks: 10 Duration: 44:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Walking Far From Home (04:46) 2 Me and Lazarus (03:02) 3 Tree by the River (03:56) 4 Monkeys Uptown (03:47) 5 Half Moon (03:15) 6 Rabbit Will Run (05:31) 7 Godless Brother in Love (03:50) 8 Big Burned Hand (04:13) 9 Glad Man Singing (04:39) 10 Your Fake Name Is Good Enough for Me (07:00) |
| Kiss Each Other Clean : Allmusic album Review : The ongoing journey of Sam Beam from bedroom mystic to ringleader of a slick stadium indie rock band is completed on 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean. While the previous Iron & Wine album, The Shepherds Dog, was also very produced and pro-sounding, this album is huge. Beam, a cast of many, and producer Brian Deck have embellished the songs with a ton of studio tricks, a wide variety of instruments from flute to squelchy old synths, and a tightly arranged, loosely flowing feel that anyone who was initially enraptured by Beam’s early recordings might be hard-pressed to recognize. (Though Beam’s voice is still as haunting and intimate as ever for the most part. As is his beard.) Once you accept that I&W are now as established as a “real” band on par with Wilco or the Flaming Lips, some questions arise. Are they still any good? Can Beam still capture a heart with a tender melody and an aching vocal despite all the tricks and sax solos? Does the musicianship on display overpower the songs? Will Beam survive in the big leagues? Most of these questions were answered in the affirmative on the last album; they are reaffirmed here. Beam still writes and sings in a voice that could penetrate even the most syrupy backing -- nothing will likely ever change that. His lyrics have the same broken and bruised poetry they’ve always had, only now they are surrounded by haunting and inventive arrangements that are even more intricate and interesting than on The Shepherds Dog. This time, Beam and company bring in soft rock smoothness, dub reggae textures, and instruments that haven’t really been featured on previous records. The vintage synths in particular deserve mention; whether they are bubbling like mad on “Monkeys Uptown” or getting Stevie Wonder-funky on “Big Burned Hand,” they give the otherwise very organic-sounding arrangements a welcome cheesy kick. Other aspects that deserve praise are Sarah Simpson’s sweetly sung backing vocals and Deck’s production. He layers instruments and mixes sound like he’s baking a giant cake, giving the songs depth and a widescreen scope in the process. Beam couldn’t have picked a better person for the job of blowing his music up to the large-scale work of beauty it has become. If you’ve been on board since the beginning, you have to marvel at the perfectly timed and logical way the music has progressed. No one could ever accuse Beam of selling out his art, only growing up and building it up. Kiss Each Other Clean is the result of years of growth and change, and though that sounds incredibly boring, it’s also a record full of roiling emotion, tender wit, and deeply felt melodic beauty. In other words, a standard issue Iron & Wine record. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 20 Title: Morning Becomes Eclectic Released: 2011-11-25 Tracks: 11 Duration: 42:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Intro (02:35) 2 Tree by the River (03:26) 3 Summer in Savannah (04:18) 4 Half Moon (03:07) 5 Interview (10:32) 6 My Ladys House (04:45) 7 He Lays in the Reins (02:57) 8 Boy With a Coin (03:30) 9 Me and Lazarus (03:09) 10 Outro (01:45) 11 Naked as We Came (02:33) |
 | Album: 14 of 20 Title: Ghost on Ghost Released: 2013-04-13 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Caught in the Briars (03:13) 2 The Desert Babbler (03:27) 3 Joy (02:30) 4 Low Light Buddy of Mine (03:29) 5 Grace for Saints and Ramblers (03:35) 6 Grass Widows (02:53) 7 Singers and the Endless Song (03:38) 8 Sundown (Back in the Briars) (02:17) 9 Winter Prayers (03:11) 10 New Mexicos No Breeze (04:27) 11 Lovers Revolution (05:39) 12 Baby Center Stage (05:40) |
| Ghost on Ghost : Allmusic album Review : After expanding his intimate indie folk sound about as far as it could go on the last Iron & Wine album, Kiss Each Other Clean, Sam Beam (and trusty producer Brian Deck) take a step back on Ghost on Ghost and deliver something less suited for large arenas and more late-night jazz club-sized. The arrangements on that album were stuffed with instruments and seemed built to reach the back row; this time there are still plenty of horns, violins, and female backing vocals in the mix, but they are employed with a much lighter touch. Working with jazz drummer Brian Blade and a standup bass and mixing together elements of country, jazz, indie rock, and soft rock, the album has a much more intimate feel that suits Beams quietly soulful vocals much more naturally. Its still very slick and pro-sounding, but not to the point of distraction. It sounds like the work of two highly skilled craftsmen making the kind of album they should make, instead of guys trying to make something relevant and "big." Beams songs this time are more diverse than usual; he delivers the kind of songs an Iron & Wine follower would expect, nocturnal and hushed confessionals (the echoing "Joy," "Winter Prayers") and cinematic ballads ("Baby Center Stage") that sound like they would have fit in well on the last couple albums. Balancing these against gritty and intense songs that seethe with barely controlled drama and emotion ("Grass Widows," "Lovers Revolution") and a couple almost happy-sounding uptempo tracks (like the rambling, very Belle & Sebastian-influenced "Grace for Saints and Ramblers") shows that Beam is really expanding the kind of songs he is writing and doing it with a large degree of success. Anyone who has been with I&W since the beginning might find it hard to believe they would ever record a song as lightly soulful and sweet as the almost jaunty "The Desert Babbler" or as easy on the ears as "New Mexicos No Breeze," which sounds like a dusty indie pop take on Seals & Crofts, or as musically complex as the very hooky "Caught in the Briars." Bringing the scale back down to something human while injecting some jazz and sunshine into the I&W sound proves to be a very good strategy for Beam, and it makes Ghost on Ghost one of the most satisfying albums the group has done to date. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 20 Title: Archive Series Volume No. 1 Released: 2015-01-24 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:01:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Slow Black River (02:27) 2 The Wind Is Low (03:32) 3 Eden (02:43) 4 Two Hungry Blackbirds (05:08) 5 Freckled Girl (02:44) 6 Judgement (05:40) 7 Sing Song Bird (01:45) 8 Beyond the Fence (06:39) 9 Quarters in a Pocket (03:52) 10 Loretta (02:54) 11 Everyones Summer of 95 (03:10) 12 Minor Piano Keys (05:17) 13 Your Sly Smile (03:21) 14 Halfway to Richmond (05:19) 15 Wade Across the Water (02:04) 16 Postcard (04:50) |
 | Album: 16 of 20 Title: Sing Into My Mouth Released: 2015-07-14 Tracks: 12 Duration: 44:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 This Must Be the Place (03:32) 2 Done This One Before (02:59) 3 Any Day Woman (02:50) 4 You Know Me More Than I Know (03:29) 5 Bullet Proof Soul (04:38) 6 No Way Out of Here (04:38) 7 God Knows (You Gotta Give to Get) (03:22) 8 The Straight and Narrow (05:15) 9 Magnolia (03:51) 10 Am I a Good Man (03:47) 11 Ab’s Song (01:19) 12 Coyote, My Little Brother (05:06) |
| Sing Into My Mouth : Allmusic album Review : It turns out that bearded gents Sam Beam of Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell of Band of Horses were friends in their hometown of Columbia, South Carolina back before they were ever touring-bill companions or Sub Pop labelmates (mid- to late aughts), and well before they recorded a covers album together. Perhaps a studio collaboration was inevitable or even overdue given their amity, frequent path-crossing, and shared tastes and influences represented small-scale here on the 12-track Sing Into My Mouth. The title is taken from lyrics in the opening track, "This Must Be the Place" by Talking Heads, a sign of the relative diversity to come, which bridges Sade, John Cale, El Perro del Mar, and Peter La Farge. The Talking Heads tune is a toned-down take with acoustic and slide guitars, bass, piano, accordion, and light percussion, representative of an album full of slide guitar-heavy arrangements that fall squarely within folky expectations. Versions most similar to the originals include Ronnie Lanes "Done This One Before," 70s U.K. band Unicorns "No Way Out of Here" (better known via David Gilmores cover), Spiritualizeds "Straight and Narrow," and fellow South Carolinians the Marshall Tucker Bands beautifully spare "Abs Song" -- all folk-inspired or twang-leaning to begin with, and covered affectionately with Beam and Bridwell trading lead-vocal duty throughout the record. Most altered are the duos reworkings of the strings-supported, Brill Building-esque "God Knows (You Gotta Give to Get)" by Swedens El Perro del Mar, which is slowed down here and given an earthy woodwind and guitar delivery; Sades "Bullet Proof Soul," which still sounds uniquely Sade despite a rootsy rearrangement; and Them Twos 1967 soul plea "Am I a Good Man?," previously covered by Bridwells Band of Horses and captured with enthusiasm on Sing Into My Mouth by piano, reed instruments, electric guitars, bass, and percussion. Other songs include Bonnie Raitts "Anyday Woman," John Cales "You Know Me More Than I Know," and J.J. Cales "Magnolia." That kind of variety keeps things interesting, though none of the arrangements comes as a real surprise with the exception of the closer, "Coyote, My Little Brother" (later covered by Pete Seeger but recorded by its songwriter Peter La Farge in 1963), a yodeling, Native American-inspired lament that gets full dream pop treatment with Bridwell on lead. Still, the represented songwriters and the sequencing, which nimbly waltzes through 50 years of song selections beginning with a quirky new wave tune and ending with a howling cautionary ballad, are rendered with grace. Those attracted to the collaborations premise will very likely appreciate its results. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 20 Title: Archive Series Volume No. 3 Released: 2017-04-22 Tracks: 2 Duration: 00:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Stranger Lay Beside Me (?) 2 Miss Bottom of the Hill (?) |
 | Album: 18 of 20 Title: Beast Epic Released: 2017-08-25 Tracks: 11 Duration: 35:57 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Claim Your Ghost (02:29) 2 Thomas County Law (03:25) 3 Bitter Truth (03:03) 4 Song in Stone (03:22) 5 Summer Clouds (03:34) 6 Call It Dreaming (03:52) 7 About a Bruise (03:11) 8 Last Night (02:56) 9 Right for Sky (04:00) 10 The Truest Stars We Know (02:53) 11 Our Light Miles (03:12) |
| Beast Epic : Allmusic album Review : On Iron & Wines 2017 album, Beast Epic, Sam Beam took a conscious step back. Not only is he recording for Sub Pop again, hes stripped away most of the high production values, backing vocalists, horn sections, and orchestras that were all over his more recent work like spangles on an old denim jacket. This record was done with a small group, recorded relatively simply, and often recorded live as well. Beam and his cohorts take a less-is-more approach to coloring in his suitably autumnal melodies, and get a sound that compares favorably with the classic Our Endless Numbered Days LP. Its a more seasoned, more confident and expansive version of that album for sure, as the years have given Beam a richer tapestry of life experiences to draw from. His musical ideas are also more mature, and though the arrangements are simpler, they are still full of little tricks and sticky hooks. Beams singing has only improved too. He never has to try too hard to convey the feelings behind the lyrics, and with each album he feels more and more wise. Tracks like "Thomas County Law" and "The Truest Stars We Know" have a burnished, ages-old feel to them, like hes telling a story from the 1800s that still rings true. Without a single misstep, the rest of the album swings from catchy country ballads ("Bitter Truth") to evocative mini-epics that come off like Van Morrison gone to seed ("Song in Stone"), rambling indie folk tales that feel very shaggy ("About a Bruise"), and slow, sad love songs ("Summer Clouds"). On the whole, Beast Epic has a lilting grace and pleasing simplicity that was missing from the last few Iron & Wine albums, and its good to hear Beam working on a small scale again. To continue building the sound out into something bigger probably would have led to a collapse, or at the very least a hollow center. No worries of that here, as Beam keeps the operation small and fills the center with lots of wistful emotion and tender feelings. Despite the seeming return to an earlier approach, its not an exercise in nostalgia or a retracing of steps. Beam is too restless an artist for that, and the strength of the songwriting and the nimble performances keep it from feeling that way. It may not be a step forward, but it is a strong step in a very pleasing direction, especially for fans of a more unfiltered Iron & Wine. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 20 Title: Weed Garden Released: 2018-08-31 Tracks: 6 Duration: 20:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 What Hurts Worse (03:00) 2 Waves of Galveston (03:36) 3 Last of Your Rock ’n’ Roll Heroes (03:20) 4 Milkweed (03:20) 5 Autumn Town Leaves (03:15) 6 Talking to Fog (03:51) |
 | Album: 20 of 20 Title: Years to Burn Released: 2019-06-14 Tracks: 8 Duration: 32:09 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 What Heaven’s Left (04:52) 2 Midnight Sun (04:14) 3 Father Mountain (02:54) 4 Outside El Paso (01:51) 5 Follow the Water (03:45) 6 The Bitter Suite (Pájaro / Evil Eye / Tennessee Train) (08:15) 7 Years to Burn (03:07) 8 In Your Own Time (03:09) |