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Around the Well Circles Creativity, Doesn’t Hit Mark

Sam Beam issues a predictable double disc compilation of previously unreleased tracks

Iron & Wine

Around the Well

Released on May 19, 2009

There is a time and a place for Iron & Wine’s melancholic masterpieces. Truly, I’m of the belief that Sam Beam has a stroke of genius every now and then. However, when I listen to his albums, I can’t help but wonder when he’s going to go ahead and try something different. Some people think that The Shepherd’s Dog was a venture out of his acoustic territory, but I still wanted more experimentation from someone so talented. Yes, his longing voice and simple guitar parts work for him, but everyone needs to get out of their comfort zone. Right?

Apparently, wrong. While Around the Well is being marketed as a compilation album, it doesn’t sound like he just threw a couple of B-sides and covers together—it sounds like a cohesive, thoughtful album. I don’t mean that as a compliment. This is the case because every single song sounds exactly the same. Nearly every track — save for a few standouts that feature something as radical as a key change — follows the same patented Beam formula. Meaning, whisper some emotional lyrics over a strumming guitar and call it a hit.

Perhaps it’s because the weather in Chicago is finally warming up and all I want to listen to are obnoxiously upbeat songs. But honestly, I think this is the album that’s put me over the edge with Iron and Wine’s aesthetic. I was a big fan of his cover of “Such Great Heights” — which somehow, wasn’t released on an Iron & Wine album before this one, but those endearing words can only get him so far.

Meanwhile, there are two specific tracks worth highlighting: “Morning” and “Waitin’ for a Superman.” Again, while these tracks could easily fade into the background, tiny details allow them to shine through. With “Morning,” it’s the slightly more complex guitar part that made me take notice and put it on repeat as the sun came up. Cliché? Of course. But its scenic touches like that that Iron & Wine lends itself well to.

If Beam is going to stick with his normal sound, he better make it as depressing as possible. He does this with “Waitin’ for a Superman.” His voice is absolutely heartbreaking, and the lyrics make me teary-eyed nearly every time I listen to it.

In those two cases, Beam’s still got it. He’s a master of the acoustic coffee shop sound, and at times, that’s just what a person needs. Unfortunately, with such a comprehensive catalog boasting that very sound already in existence, he’s going to need to venture away from it in order to keep me interested. 

Posted by Alyssa Vincent on May 21, 2009 @ 6:30 am