Around the Well

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Product Reviews

(5 stars) - Good story telling through song
This is my first experience with the group, Iron and Wine. And I must say it has been a positive one. The blended vocals make for easy listening while most of the songs tell a real story. This group has quickly become one of my favorites among my collection of song writers/singers. The silky smooth and mellow voices are calming and reassuring. And this album is aimed to please most anyone who listens to it. I give it a two thumbs up for content, sound, vocals, and lyrics. Overall, I highly recommend this to folks that are looking for a laid-back collection of songs that are sung almost in Simon & Garfunkle style. The guitar picking is no exception either and the musical ability of this group excels in every way.

(5 stars) - Around the well, Iron and Wine
I can honestly say,this is love at first listen for me. There is one fantastic song after another.

(5 stars) - Not just for fans, for fans of good music
I was really impressed w/ this cd, and, although I am a fan of iron and wine, I think that most people w/ an appreciation of creative music and thoughtful lyrics will enjoy this CD. An individual can enjoy this music by both devoting full attention to the music and its lyrics or simply having it on in the background while studying or hanging out with friends, and this goes for most of their work. A couple of other recommendations: m. ward, american analog set, and death cab for cutie.

(4 stars) - Welcome addition, even if overly long
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.

(3 stars) - Strictly For The Fans
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.

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