Sam Beam's second LP as the acoustic marvel Iron and Wine, "Our Endless Numbered Days," begins with the hard-plucked "On Your Wings." Those who appreciated his first full-length "The Creek Drank the Cradle" or his EP, "The Sea and the Rhythm," will be caught off-guard by the opener of the new album.
In comparison to the gentle strumming and thin recording of the first two records, "Our Endless Numbered Days" comes across in a manner that is unexpectedly harsh.
With added instrumentation and musicians, as well as a more closely-miked recording, the album is a bigger production. One can actually hear Beam's mouth make a smacking sound when he opens it to sing. A female voice - his wife, Sarah Beam - harmonizes with Sam's gentle croon on a number of tracks, including "Cinder and Smoke" and "Teeth in the Grass."
Tracks like "On Your Wings" and "Fever Dream" come out sounding stiff rather than relaxed, as a result of the firmer guitar and banjo playing.
There are, however, great songs on the album, and Beam's lyrics are as gently ensnaring as ever. His description of love is poignant, "Love is a dress that you made/ Long to hide your knees."
"Each Coming Night" comes closest to his older work. It sounds like a hymn being sung in a church, as Beam sings a two-part harmony in the song. The interplay between the guitar and voice is amazing. In one progression, the plucking picks up exactly where the voice leaves off, both in ascending pitch and decreasing volume.
"Free Until They Cut Me Down" is a soft bluegrass song in which the added instruments make it perfect. The bass guitar adds a rollicking bounce to a sound that otherwise would be too thin to hold interest.
"Our Endless Numbered Days" doesn't merit a tap of the "repeat all" button like "The Creek Drank the Cradle" did two years ago.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
