Iron & Wine - Around the Well
|
List Price: Our Price: $6.18 You Save: $8.80 (59%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $5.78 (click here) Category: Music CD See more new music releases 
|
|---|
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Free Music Notes for Around the Well
Free Music Review: Welcome addition, even if overly long
Hit: 4 Stars
The improbable and unexpected succuss of Iron and Wine's most recent album, 2007's "The Shepherd's Dog", is the culmination of a long steady road upwards. The once-one-man-band behind Sam Beam has achieved major recongition, and more, in the indie-music scene, which lead the band's record label to the vaults for more material to release while we await a proper follow-up to "The Shepherd's Dog".
"Around the Well (2 CDs; 23 tracks; 93 min.) is neatly divided up in two halves: CD 1 (11 tracks; 41 min.) brings tunes from the early days, meaning just Sam Beam and his acoutic guitar, generally songs so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The opener "Dearest Forsaken" is as representative as anyting from this collection. It's good background music when you're reading a book, but to me it doesn't warrant much repeated listening. CD 2 (12 tracks; 52 min.) is much more interesting as it brings latter-days Iron and Wine, meaning Sam with an actual backing band. By far the best tracks on here for me are "Carried Home", with beautiful harmonizing vocals (sort of reminding me of early CS&N), and the 9+ min. epic closer "The Trapeze Swinger".
In all, this is a welcome, if perhaps overlong, addition to the Iran and Wine catalog. I will generally stick to CD 2, but that's just my personal taste. Given the nature of the songs, it's paramount to have the lyrics to follow along, and the booklet indeed does include the lyrics to about 3/4 of the songs. No rhyme or reason why the other songs' lyrics are missing. I saw Iron and Wine in concert at last year's Bonnaroo Music Festival. The band put on a terrific set, focusing primarily on tracks from "The Shepherd's Dog". Seeing the massive attendance for their set just made me wonder how amazing it is that Iron and Wine has become so successful.
Free Music Review: Some good stuff from Sam
Hit: 4 Stars
Although it's a collection of miscellaneous material - b-sides, rarities, etc. - this new double-disc set from Sam Beam is also clearly intended to work as an "album" that hangs together just as well as an all-new set of songs would. For me, it does work that way... Forget that this is a bunch of tunes collected from over several years, and listen to it as if it was a "regular" album, and it will stand as a really excellent Iron & Wine production. So far my favorite track is the Flaming Lips cover, "Waitin' For a Superman," which I think improves on the original (hard to do, for me). It's one of four cover tunes on Around the Well (the others being Postal Service, New Order and Stereolab songs). I also really dig the gentle folkish vibe and general ethereal-ness of "God Made the Automobile." Gordon Lightfoot meets Swamp Ghost. And those are just two of more than 20 songs and over 90 minutes of music - I expect I'll be greatly enjoying many of the others too. (A really good price for a 2-CD set, too - thanks Sub Pop!)
My only real frustration with this collection is the minimal liner notes. No individual song performance credits, no historical references (i.e., it would be nice to learn where the b-sides and rarities first appeared) [what're we supposed to do, google the song titles individually, or search the artist's web site?], and lyrics are given only for the songs Sam wrote, not the covers. But that's only a minor drawback from an otherwise topnotch release.
Free Music Review: beautiful "extras"
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a wonderful collection of extras and rarities from Sam Beam. The first disc is pleasant and worthwhile, though not nearly as remarkable as either The Creek Drank the Cradle or the accomanying EP The Sea and the Rhythym. It is most notable for the excellent and sublime cover of Flaming Lips' "Waiting for Superman." I suppose they had to include the "Such Great Heights" cover, but it is almost a disappointment to be reminded this is the track for which I&W is best known.
The disc 2 outtakes from the Endless Numbered Days and Shepard's Dog sessions (and film soundtracks) are highlighted by "God Made the Automobile" and "Kingdom of the Animals," exceptional tracks that are as beautiful as anything Beam has previously relased. Other excellent tracks abound on this disc, including the lovely, dark "Carried Home."
Overall, any of the major releases from I&W are probably better starting points, but if you are a fan of the music, this is an essential collection. There is probably one disc's worth of truly excellent material that is on par with the other releases.
Free Music Review: Great for serious fans
Hit: 4 Stars
I accidentally ordered this cd instead of 'The Shepard's Dog', but I couldn't be happier. There are so many great songs on this cd that I've been missing out on. If you're a serious fan you will appreciate it.Free Music Review: Strictly For The Fans
Hit: 3 Stars
Iron & Wine (Sam Beam) has evolved musically since his earnest days as a man with an acoustic guitar that seemed doomed to Nick Drake comparisons. Beam's songwriting has grown up from his humble origins into a touring musician who can be seen frequently on Austin City Limits and other assorted music programs. Heck, a trip to your favorite coffee house / chain bookstore isn't complete without an obligatory playing of his last album, "The Shepherd's Dog." Being a highly caffeinated nerd myself, I have endured or overheard many conversations where certain individuals thought they were listening to a new Van Morrison album.
Following the momentum of that album, Sam Beam has chosen to clear out the attic and comes through with the eventual odds and sods release. "Around the Well" contains a berth of Sam Beam's material that has been collecting dust. Rather than let these songs get moldy, Beam has chosen to free them from his self-imposed exile. Beam's songs range from his earliest sessions from "The Creek Drank The Cradle" to material that was recorded for "The Shepherd's Dog." The problem with odds and sods albums is the varying quality of the material that usually comes out on these things. These albums are usually better suited for the die-hard fan as a souvenir rather than as a comprehensive retrospective that would make sense for new listeners.
On "Around The Well" Iron & Wine, although extremely gifted, is guilty of the crime of chronology, as most of the first side sounds similar. It is interesting to here the clear guitar lines and double-tracked vocals of "Dearest Forsaken" as early evidence of Beam's writing skill however, when you're listening to an album and the first seven tracks are in the same vein, things get monotonous. It's not until the Flaming Lips cover of "Waitin' For A Superman" that a little life is injected into the proceedings. Beam's second cover on the disc the Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" is a somber take, which doesn't add much to the original.
The second disc on this compilation is more expansive and closer to the sound that appeared on "The Shepherd's Dog." These songs sound brighter because of the varying palettes Beam used in comparison to the bone-dry intro disc. Highlights include the New Order cover, "Love Vigilantes" and the country rock of "Kingdom of the Animals." Beam closes the proceedings with the epic "The Trapeze Swinger" a fan favorite written for the movie, "In Good Company" that sways with the best of the newer material.
Speaking of new material, Beam includes three more songs from "In Good Company," "Belated Promise Ring," "God Made the Automobile," and "Homeward These Shoes." Of these three tracks, "Belated Promise Ring" drew my attention the most because of its cribbed melody from Johnny Cash's "One on the Right Is on the Left." The rip-off had me a bit miffed, but I got over it just the same but not as easily as I did the actual playlist of the album. Maybe I'm being too picky here but had Beam opted to alternate the new and old, "Around The Well" would be a more satisfying listen. I guess that's what shuffle is for.