Iron & Wine / Light Verse
| Album: | Light Verse | Collection: | A-File | |
| Artist: | Iron & Wine | Added: | May 2024 | |
| Label: | Sub Pop Records | |||
A-File Activity
| Add Date: | 2024-05-20 | Pull Date: | 2024-07-22 |
|---|
| Week Ending: | May 26 |
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| Airplays: | 2 |
Recent Airplay
| 1. | May 28, 2024: | Traditions
You Never Know |
4. | May 17, 2024: | KZSU Time Traveler
Angels Go Home, Sweet Talk, All In Good Time (Feat. Fiona Apple) (Clean Edit), You Never Know |
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| 2. | May 24, 2024: | KZSU Time Traveler
You Never Know |
5. | May 10, 2024: | KZSU Time Traveler
All In Good Time (Feat. Fiona Apple) (Clean Edit) |
|
| 3. | May 21, 2024: | Traditions
You Never Know |
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Album Review
Francis D
Reviewed 2024-05-04
Reviewed 2024-05-04
“Light Verse” Iron & Wine
Indie folk singer-songwriter, Sam Beam. 7th solo studio album, and the first since 2017’s “Beast Epic.” While Beam is known for his hushed, spare acoustic sound, this Iron & Wine album leans on piano and fingerpicked guitar, but also mixes in lush orchestration and intriguing rhythms — making the 10-song set light, breezy and consistently satisfying. Beam’s lyrics brim with optimism and self-reflection — with a dash of dry humor at times — while exploring sometimes somber topics. RIYL: Andrew Bird, The Decemberists, M. Ward or The Tallest Man On Earth.
— Francis
Highly recommended: 1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 6, 10. FCCs on Tracks 3, 4 and 8 have been edited.
1. (4:51) You Never Know — Languid and lovely. Folky guitar and piano with bowed and strummed upright bass and simple drums. Strings as well. ****
2. (3:50) Anyone’s Game — Bouncy and fun. Middle Eastern-sounding, with an exotic rhythm, insistent bass and even zither strumming. Catchy vocals. ****
3. (4:14) All In Good Time (feat. Fiona Apple) (Clean Edit) — A relaxed and gorgeous sway with Beam and Fiona Apple singing counterpoint to one another over piano, guitar and a full orchestra. ****
4. (2:56) Cutting It Close (Clean Edit) — Playful, intricate fingerpicked guitar and piano, with wry, humorous lyrics and seamless, sparkling storytelling. ***
5. (5:20) Taken By Surprise — Stark and sad. Pensive pace. Beautifully written love letter. Fingerpicked and strummed guitar, piano and strings. And perhaps an Italian lira as well.
6. (3:26) Yellow Jacket — Simple and stripped-back with soft, almost spoken vocals and orchestration that makes this sound a little like a James Taylor tune from the ‘70s. ***
7. (3:39) Sweet Talk — Upbeat change of pace. Toe-tapping indie folk with a spirited energy. Strummed guitar, bell-like synths. Rich backing vocals. ***
8. (6:53) Tears That Don’t Matter (Clean Edit) — Epic anthem with strident, staccato spoken vocals like lines from a poem spun over swelling strings — and all set to an urgent marching rhythm.
9. (3:23) Bag Of Cats — Rambling and bluesy. Fingerpicked guitar and piano. Organ. Tapping rhythm. Harmonized vocals in the chorus.
10. (4:22) Angels Go Home — Chamber folk. Layers of orchestration ebb and flow, swirling around Beam’s emotive vocals. ***
11. (4:15) All In Good Time (feat. Fiona Apple) (Unedited) — FCC: shit — Unedited version of track 3.
12. (3:00) Cutting It Close (Unedited) — FCC: fucked — Unedited version of track 4.
13. (6:54) Tears That Don’t Matter (Unedited) — FCC: piss — Unedited version of track 8.
Indie folk singer-songwriter, Sam Beam. 7th solo studio album, and the first since 2017’s “Beast Epic.” While Beam is known for his hushed, spare acoustic sound, this Iron & Wine album leans on piano and fingerpicked guitar, but also mixes in lush orchestration and intriguing rhythms — making the 10-song set light, breezy and consistently satisfying. Beam’s lyrics brim with optimism and self-reflection — with a dash of dry humor at times — while exploring sometimes somber topics. RIYL: Andrew Bird, The Decemberists, M. Ward or The Tallest Man On Earth.
— Francis
Highly recommended: 1, 2, 3, 7, 4, 6, 10. FCCs on Tracks 3, 4 and 8 have been edited.
1. (4:51) You Never Know — Languid and lovely. Folky guitar and piano with bowed and strummed upright bass and simple drums. Strings as well. ****
2. (3:50) Anyone’s Game — Bouncy and fun. Middle Eastern-sounding, with an exotic rhythm, insistent bass and even zither strumming. Catchy vocals. ****
3. (4:14) All In Good Time (feat. Fiona Apple) (Clean Edit) — A relaxed and gorgeous sway with Beam and Fiona Apple singing counterpoint to one another over piano, guitar and a full orchestra. ****
4. (2:56) Cutting It Close (Clean Edit) — Playful, intricate fingerpicked guitar and piano, with wry, humorous lyrics and seamless, sparkling storytelling. ***
5. (5:20) Taken By Surprise — Stark and sad. Pensive pace. Beautifully written love letter. Fingerpicked and strummed guitar, piano and strings. And perhaps an Italian lira as well.
6. (3:26) Yellow Jacket — Simple and stripped-back with soft, almost spoken vocals and orchestration that makes this sound a little like a James Taylor tune from the ‘70s. ***
7. (3:39) Sweet Talk — Upbeat change of pace. Toe-tapping indie folk with a spirited energy. Strummed guitar, bell-like synths. Rich backing vocals. ***
8. (6:53) Tears That Don’t Matter (Clean Edit) — Epic anthem with strident, staccato spoken vocals like lines from a poem spun over swelling strings — and all set to an urgent marching rhythm.
9. (3:23) Bag Of Cats — Rambling and bluesy. Fingerpicked guitar and piano. Organ. Tapping rhythm. Harmonized vocals in the chorus.
10. (4:22) Angels Go Home — Chamber folk. Layers of orchestration ebb and flow, swirling around Beam’s emotive vocals. ***
11. (4:15) All In Good Time (feat. Fiona Apple) (Unedited) — FCC: shit — Unedited version of track 3.
12. (3:00) Cutting It Close (Unedited) — FCC: fucked — Unedited version of track 4.
13. (6:54) Tears That Don’t Matter (Unedited) — FCC: piss — Unedited version of track 8.
Track Listing