Iron And Wine — Around The Well

It feels a little premature for Sam Beam to be collecting his various odds and ends recordings with only three LPs to his name. But as this double disc affair proves, he's been a busy man.

Around The Well is split by Beam's two sonic incarnations: the lonely, lo-fi troubadour and the more rocking (for folk music) full band. The lo-fi first disc functions better as a whole, though there are more standouts — like nine-minute track "The Trapeze Swinger" — on the second.

Beam has included four covers, all from artists more associated with synthesizers and drum machines than lush acoustic instrumentation. His versions of Stereolab's "Peng 33" and The Flaming Lips' "Waitin' For A Superman" are fairly straightforward, but his take of New Order's "Love Vigilantes" and his career maker, the cover of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" are absolute standouts.

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