I’ve always thought Iron & Wine’s transformation of New Order’s longing wartime ballad “Love Vigilantes” from a reflective piece of synth-pop into a typically beautiful folk song was one of Sam Beam’s most effective reinterpretations. It was performed by the band last night on The Jimmy Fallon Show (along with the brand new song “Godless Brother In Love”, featured below). “Love Vigilantes” is also included on Around the Well, the odds and sods compilation that Sub Pop is releasing this week that collects a wide assortment of outtakes, b-sides, soundtrack songs, and covers. Overall, Around the Well is a very satisfying, if not exactly comprehensive, look back at the underappreciated and unknown songs of the band’s first 8 years of existence - many of Iron & Wine’s finest rarities are included on the 2-disc set, but hardcore fans of the band are well aware of the myriad of worthy tracks the album foregoes. Two such songs are his cover of The Four Tops’ Motown classic “The Same Old Song” and The Marshall Tucker Band's beautiful “Ab’s Song” (thanks Erik!).
MP3 :: The Same Old Song
MP3 :: Ab’s Song
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MP3 :: Belated Promise Ring
(from Around the Well. Buy here)
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“Godless Brother In Love”
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Good of you to point out a few of the gems that missed the cut - I personally would add the Creek bonus tracks from his early sessions, "Carissa's Wierd" (clearly a tribute to the band of the same name) and especially "Her Tea Leaves", which, as one of my favorite of his songs, boggles my mind in its being left off Around the Well. I should also point out that "Ab's Song", from the first of the Sweetheart Valentine's Day covers compilations, is actually a Marshall Tucker Band cover and not a Beam original (a nice southern rock reference from our favorite Southern folksinger!)
ReplyDeleteDo you still have the mp3 for "two hungry blackbirds"? i saw him in a show yesterday and i really liked the song.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the update Erik! I had no idea "Ab's Song" was a cover, let alone a MTB song...it sounds just like the type of song Beam is capable of.
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