Something Like Sound

The music of Sam Beam, better known as the motivating force behind Iron & Wine, is known for its soft beauty and constant reinvention. Over the last decade Iron & Wine has moved from acoustic lo-fi recordings to full band pop songs. As with any musical progression, the hope is that while fidelity may increase, the heart behind the songs might remain the same.

Kiss Each Other Clean is the group’s first LP of new material since 2007’s The Shepherd’s Dog and it continues on the trend of mixing traditional folk songs with a few eccentric sounds. Overall the record has a cohesive tone that is somewhere between the experimentalism of the 1960’s and the funky feel-good vibes of the 1970’s. Case in point: “Rabbit Will Run” feels like a Cat Stevens tune layered on the keyboards of The Doors.

However, Sam Beam’s breathy vocals are the real star of this album. Just as his voice enchanted listeners on his early recordings, new songs like “Godless Brother in Love” will cause people to fall in love yet again with Iron & Wine’s harmonies. While the lyrics are also well-thought, it is their presentation that sets the tone of each tune.

Perhaps what is most refreshing about Kiss Each Other Clean is that it seldom feels self-indulgent or stuffy. This may be a modern pop record; however it has a certain timeless quality and replay value similar to classic albums such as James Taylor’s Sweet Baby James or Paul Simon’s Still Crazy After All These Years. That said, Iron & Wine successfully mixed innovation with nostalgia to create something that is uniquely relevant to current tastes while remaining appealing to older generations.

Stream the entire record below

Edit: I changed the permalink and removed the links in this article because of the ridiculous amounts of spam we were receiving.

Here in Colorado (and in most places), we’ve got a saying, “March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb.” Perhaps 2009 didn’t get the memo, because we’re five days into March and it’s balmy and beautiful in the Mile-High City. But, this is a blog about music, not the weather (do they have such things?). Either way, the recent warm weather got me thinking about the spring / summer music season, and I thought I’d hilight some shows and events that should be recognized.

March 17 (St. Patrick’s Day!): Akron/Family & Young Coyotes at the Oriental: What better way to celebrate St. Pattie’s day than with some great tunes. In what will likely be an explosion of indie-folk-experimental sound, Akron/Family will take the stage after the crowd gets warmed up on Denver’s own Young Coyotes.

March 24: The Academy Is… at the Hi-Dive: I remember seeing The Academy Is… a few years ago at Warped Tour, and they were on top of their game then. I haven’t kept up with the group since then, but it’s nice to see them playing and acoustic set at the Hi-Dive. Also featured: This Providence.

April 3: Flobots at the CSM E-Days Festival: The loudest, most rambunctious thing we do at Mines, the E-Days show this year will be unlike any we’ve seen before. For the first time in recent memory, hip-hop will be the predominant sound eminating from Steinhauer Field House. Also featured: Filthy T

April 8: Dredg at the Marquis (Downtown): As a group that is constantly updating and experimenting with their sound, Dredg has found a special place in my music library. Their 2005 album Catch Without Arms is still one of my favorites.

April 24: The Gaslight Anthem at the Gothic: If Bruce Springsteen and Black Flag had a baby, it would be the Gaslight Anthem. Recently in Denver opening for the Rise Against / Thrice / Alkaline Trio tour, the Gaslight Anthem has kept busy playing late-night television gigs and touring.

May 12: Manchester Orchestra at the Marquis (Downtown): There are very few bands who inspire me the way Manchester Orchestra does. Lead singer Andy Hull’s lyrics are deep and intensely delivered. After seeing M.O. open for mewithoutYou a couple years ago, I’m excited to see them again. This time around they should be playing material from their soon-to-be-released album Mean Everything To Nothing.

May 16: Flight of the Conchords & Iron and Wine at Red Rocks: New Zealand’s premier acoustic-guitar weilding comedy duo, Flight of the Conchords have made their mark on American television and music. Constantly playing with different genres, the Conchords will likely put on one of the best shows in the 2009 Red Rocks schedule. Also playing: Iron & Wine, possibly one of the best, most beautiful sounding bands on the indie scene.

June 2: Animal Collective at the Boulder Theater (Boulder): Critics have been kind to Animal Collective’s  neweset release Merriweather Post Pavillion, calling it “the greatest album of the year.” Although their brand of experimental-electro-pop might not sit well with lovers of more traditional music genres, Animal Collective will surely put on an amazing show.