Not everyone handles change well. Some people prefer to be in control, to have everything organized just the way they like it, and to know what to expect. Those people are probably not going to like the new Iron & Wine album, “Kiss Each Other Clean.”
After three studio albums, “The Creek Drank the Cradle,” “Our Endless Numbered Days,” and, “The Shepherd’s Dog,” fans may have become accustomed to Sam Beam’s (singer/songwriter) soft, almost whispering, poetic lyrics. They may have also gotten used to the mellow, effortless, finger-picked guitar that accompanied those lyrics, which made hearts melt. However, on this fourth album, “Kiss Each Other Clean,” Beam puts a twist on his classic songwriting cocktail.
The twist is pop. At least this is the approach the songwriter had in mind when putting together the songs that make up the album. However, this doesn’t mean you’re gonna be hearing his songs on the radio next week competing with Usher and Lady Gaga.
From listening to the album, I would say that Beam just wanted to expand his songwriting canvas by taking a new approach that might reach a wider audience. After all, despite the fact that he’s been recording for almost 10 years, Iron & Wine is still not a household name.
The first change you’ll notice after pressing play will be the fullness of the effects and instruments that surround Beam’s beautiful lyrics and voice. Those two things have not changed at all. The lyrics are still as thoughtful, insightful, and mesmerizing as they were in “Flightless Bird, American Mouth,” “The Trapeze Swinger,” and “The Sea and the Rhythm.” The difference is that now there is an array of powerful sounds and rhythms that move in perfect communion with the words. Those that can embrace this change will be able to see how perfectly Beam has been able to perform this balancing act — balancing the great things he’s always done with a new vehicle in which to transport his message to the world.
At times, these new sounds are quirky and spacey, as in the second track, “Me and Lazarus.” Suddenly, some horns break through the instrumental gap between verses and fill the track with a jazzy feel. By the third track, “Tree by the River,” (a wonderful song whose steady bass drum keeps a persistent upbeat tempo bumping throughout) you realize that in past records Beam was like a painter creating masterpieces with one color. Now, he’s using the whole palatte to paint his lyrical landscapes that come to life in your mind.
My only criticism of “Kiss Each Other Clean” is that Beam did not include the song “Biting Your Tail,” which is a masterpiece. It’s worth looking for and downloading. Besides that, this album is a work of brilliance and Sam Beam proves that he truly is one of the finest American songwriters of the time. “Kiss Each Other Clean” is out now.
