FLIGHT

Iron and Wine is back, and the Second Coming is just as sweet as the first. Move over, Nick Drake.. Step aside, Will Oldham (and take that "Greatest Palace Music" joke with you--except for track 2)!



The best album of the year is Our Endless Numbered Days. And that includes the bonus disc!

Hey Neil, what's on the second disc? It seems the bonus disc is only available here as an import from the States, and the price is a little steep for me. I sorta need to justify my spending of the extra bucks.

Of the tracks I've heard from this album, the improved production really makes some of his songs shine.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

If Neil says it's the best album of the year, I'm pretty convinced that this is a must buy. I'll have to go pick it up...

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1. Cinder and Smoke (demo)
2. Swans and the Swimming
3. Free Until They Cut Me Down (demo)
4. Hickory


Definitely! To fill everyone else in, the previous releases--The Creek Drank the Cradle and Sea & The Rhythm--were recorded lo-fi in Sam Beam's florida home, complete with tape hiss, and basically published as-is by Sub Pop. Why mess with perfection? It certainly gave his sound a rough charm of its own. (The cover of Sea & The Rhythm even seemed to be water-damaged, though it's just part of the art.) The new album, though, is a squeaky clean, well produced studio creation. After being trained to love Iron & Wine the old way, I was really blown away by the richness of this new sound. (But the demo versions still have that old feel, if you prefer.)

Do your own comparison:

"Lion's Mane" from The Creek Drank the Cradle
"Naked As We Came" from Our Endless Numbered Days

(These mp3's are from Sub Pop.)


I really appreciate that Kazu!

Thanks, Neil. Actually, I was also kinda fishing for a "is it worth forking over the extra cash for the second disc?" opinion from ya. I mean, if I wanted a lo-fi version, I could always make a 6th-generation tape copy of the album and then kick it through some puddles to get that similar Mountain Goats/answering machine-y sound.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

The second disc is really good. I think it's lame that you have to pay extra to import it, though... it's supposed to be a "bonus," i.e. an extra reward for buying the album. I think you should buy the album domestically, and then exercise some civil disobedience and get the bonus tracks from a file sharing network.

Heehee. That's exactly what I was thinking.

I dunno though, the Canadian release of the album was just this past Tuesday, and I haven't had a chance to hit a record store to see if the bonus disc is included with the release north of the border. Here's hoping.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

Hm, you wouldn't be able to tell, without opening the case. The bonus cd is inside, and there's no indication of it on the outer packaging (well there might be a sticker over the shrinkwrap). But I'm sure you could ask..

Just in case anyone cares (I doubt it), the Canadian domestic issue of OEND also comes packaged with the bonus disc. And at a measly 12 bucks, I just had to buy it (I was acutally holding the Modest Mouse album in my grubby little paws also, but I exercised some self control, and my wallet is thanking me for it now).

I [heart] Sub Pop and their ridiculously low, low introductory prices.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

Kean! I'm so glad you're doing a story for "Passing Afternoon!" Iron and Wine is ridiculously inspiring; I'm very much looking forward to this.

And, have fun at your release party.

I was hoping you wouldn't notice. It'll probably fall far short of expectations, but what the comic will have in abundance is a lot of blue skies, tall leafy trees, and lots of green grass; that particular song seems to evoke those images really well. It would've helped if I knew how to draw tall leafy trees properly.

I doubt anyone is going to show up at the release party, except for maybe the usual comic people living the area. Poor planning on my part, so I might have to make up for that by getting incredibly drunk and entertaining myself.

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

Man, I am really digging that song... I'm going to go buy this album today. hey Kean, if you need help with the trees and such, just let us know. I think there are plenty of artists here that almost specialize in that.

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What??? Kazu didn't buy the CD after Neil said it was "the best album of the year?" Dude, what is wrong with you?



In all seriousness though, I just may take you up on that "how to draw trees properly" offer. I mean, just look at what I'm trying to pass off as a tree on that webpage of mine...

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keaner.net
the secret friend society

Hehe. As I was busy gathering my Wilco, the Shins, and Death Cab collections, I kept thinking "there is one other band I'm supposed to pick up." For some reason, Iron and Wine keeps sliiping from memory when I'm at the store, but no longer. That song is drilled into my brain. I sat at your site listening to it repeatedly all afternoon....

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Ridiculously inspiring is a great way to put it. I've listened to 'passing afternoon' more than several times today and eagerly await what Kean has to show us. I also eagerly await having the extra clams to buy my own copy of 'Endless.'

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