Around the Well

by

Iron & Wine

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Here it is, finally! The collection of songs all of us Iron & Wine junkies have been collecting over the years, together in one package at last. Let me be clear though, Around the Well isn't just for the diehard fans. This is as good of an offering as anything Mr. Sam Beam has ever released. The first disc contains a collection of mostly lo-fi covers and singles spanning I&W's lifetime - most of which have popped up in various places in different formats. Very good stuff, but probably more appreciated by the long-time fans. The second disc is what I believe is really going to surprise a lot of people. Except for the epic fan favorite "The Trapeze Swinger" and "Communion Cups and Someone's Coat", this disc contains songs that are completely new to me, and I've been really quite taken at how wonderful they are. The songs "Belated Promise Ring", "God Made The Automobile", "Love Vigilantes", and "Kingdom Of The Animals" are among the best songs I've ever heard from I&W. As a whole I would say the second disc could easily stand by itself against all of his other full length releases. And with the whole collection closing with "The Trapeze Swinger" I really couldn't ask for anything else. Around the Well is simply a great, well put-together collection for anyone who enjoys Iron and Wine and will definitely hold me over until the next new release.

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.