Iron & Wine
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Behind the stage name Iron & Wine is singer/songwriter Sam Beam who is currently based in Florida. The name came from a dietary supplement "Beef Iron & Wine," an item Beam found in a store while shooting a film.
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[edit] About
Iron & Wine caught the attention of Sub Pop Records' Jonathan Poneman, who then asked Sam Beam to send material to the label. Beam complied, sending two full-length albums to Sub Pop. Poneman initially wanted to release both but decided to trim it down to just 1 album containing 12 tracks. Iron and Wine's debut album, The Creek Drank the Cradle, was thus released in 2002. Sam Beam wrote, performed, and produced every song in this album, using banjo, acoustic guitars and slide guitars for instrumentation. The following year, Beam released The Sea & the Rhythm, a 5-song EP that was also recorded at the studio in his home during the recordings for The Creek Drank the Cradle. He also did a cover of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" in 2003. This single was featured in advertisements of M&M's and Ask.com, and was also included in the Garden State Soundtrack in 2004. During this same period, he also recorded "The Trapeze Swinger" for the movie In Good Company. Beam's second album entitled Our Endless Numbered Days, in contrast to the previous album, was recorded in a professional studio. This was released in 2004, and showcases a sound very distinct from Beam's music in the past, and this was attributed to the presence of additional members in the band who created music together with him.
Two EP's were released in 2005; Woman King came out in February, in which Beam chose to include electric guitars in addition to the usual acoustics, while In the Reins came out in September. In the latter, Beam collaborated with Calexico, who brought a Latin/southern music flavor to Beam's compositions. Brass is the featured instrumentation in the EP, together with the acoustics that most frequently mark Beam's music.
[edit] Awards & Certifications
[edit] Chart Toppers
| Year | Album | The Billboard 200 | Top Heatseekers | Top Independent Albums |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | The Sea & the Rhythm EP | - | - | 37 |
| 2004 | Our Endless Numbered Days | 158 | 6 | 7 |
| 2005 | In the Reins EP | - | 2 | - |
| 2005 | Woman King EP | 128 | 3 | 13 |
[edit] News
[edit] Tours & Concerts
07/14/07 - Chicago, IL (Pitchfork Music Festival}
[edit] Announcements
- Iron & Wine's next full-length album to be released by September 25, 2007 is entitled Shepherd's Dog. However, a single from the album will be out by July 10, 2007. The tracklisting for Shepherd's Dog is enumerated below:
1. Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car
2. White Tooth Man
3. Lovesong of the Buzzard
4. Carousel
5. House by the Sea
6. Innocent Bones
7. Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog)
8. Resurrection Fern
9. Boy With a Coin
10. The Devil Never Sleeps
11. Peace Beneath the City
12. Flightless Bird, American Mouth
Some of the songs have already been performed live. The single that will come out in July 2007 will include:
1. Carried Home
2. Boy With a Coin (Single Edit)
3. Kingdom of the Animals
[edit] Discography
Comprehensive list of the recordings made.
[edit] Albums
 Released: September 24, 2002 Label: Sub Pop |
 Released: March 23, 2004 Label: Sub Pop |
 Released: February 22, 2005 Label: Sub Pop |
 Released: September 9, 2003 Label: Sub Pop |
 Released: September 13, 2005 Label: Sub Pop |
 Released: October 19, 2004 Label: Sub Pop |
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Released: April 27, 2004 |
[edit] Singles
 Released: January 21, 2003 Label: Sub Pop |
[edit] Compilations & Live Releases
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Released: August 10, 2004 Label: Sony |
 Released: January 11, 2005 Label: Hollywood Records |
 Released: June 11, 2005 |
[edit] Other artists
[edit] Similar artists
[edit] Influences
[edit] Contemporaries
[edit] Trivia
- The backing vocals in many of Sam Beam's studio recordings is provided by his sister Sarah Beam.
- Sam Beam graduated from Florida State University Film School with a Master's degree in Fine Arts.
- He was once a professor of Film and Cinematography at Miami International University of Art & Design.
[edit] Reviews
- Sam Beam amazes me with his spontaneity and effortless singing. He makes singing appear very easy to do, like he's simply singing a lullaby. -1630cafe 04/24/07
