Iron and Wine

Tonight I am have having a personal fun night. We don't have school tomorrow, and I am celebrating with a little down time. We had a great dinner with our Creekside group tonight. The region of choice was Asia, and we made egg rolls, hot and sour soup, fried rice, and Bulgogi. I love that our group isn't afraid to branch out. We are blessed to have you all (those of you who read!)

Anyway, I was reading some reviews tonight, and I thought I'd post some thoughts about Iron and Wine's new album. Mostly I post this here because I think Iron and Wine is perhaps lesser-known but amazing. I heard about them from a friend, and I love the music. Try them out if you haven't already!



"Although much has changed musically since Creek Drank the Cradle, the lyrical strength has not faltered in the least bit. Sam Beam has an incredible ability to create fascinating characters and intriguing imagery while using some of the most sacred and cherished symbols and icons. In this album, angels interact with postmen. Christ walks in on poker games. Cain and Abel go to the county auction house. God sits with country children before flying around the world. He beautifully brings together the untouched parts of the American past and the universal characters and themes of our religious consciousness. These songs help me remember that the ancient and mythic human story and struggle continues even today. That real mystery can still exist in the information age; that the greatness of the modern mind cannot so easily tie a rope around the divine.

I appreciate the effort given to create something fresh and different. But Iron and Wine got so caught up creating something different, they almost created something unworthy. This album does well proving that Iron and Wine can make many different kinds of songs, and can make those songs come together in a diverse and upbeat album. There are many aspects of this album that I loved, but I didn’t appreciate having to sift through the electronic clutter in order to find them."

- Michael Dallas Miller (Burnside Writers Collective)