Iron & Wine-Beast Epic (2017)

My Rating: 97% (A+)

Pitchfork Rating: 75%

Rolling Stone Rating: 70%

Metacritic Rating: 80%

Average Rating: 81% (B+)

Tracklist (Standout songs underlined):

1. Claim Your Ghost
2. Hearts Walk Everywhere
3. Kicking the Old Rain
4. Thomas County Law
5. About a Bruise (Demo)
6. Bitter Truth
7. Claim Your Ghost (Demo)
8. Song in Stone
9. Summer Clouds
10. Summer Clouds
11. Call It Dreaming
12. About a Bruise
13. Last Night
14. Right for Sky
15. The Truest Stars We Know
16. Our Light Miles

Favourite Song on Album:

Listen to This Album When You’re:

Tired but happy.

Thoughts on Album Cover:

One of my favourites of theirs so far.

Want to Own on Vinyl?:

Yes!

Final Thoughts:

The thing that is most impressive about Iron & Wine is how long he’s been making music and how consistently good his releases are. Beast Epic is nothing new, but I don’t want anything new from this artist, he’s perfected his sound and he’s glad to stay in his lane. Few artists get so much leeway when it comes to catching criticism as not growing (Jack Johnson is typically hated because his songs all sound the same) as Iron & Wine does. The main difference here is that all of Iron & Wine’s albums sound roughly the same, but their individual songs all have a life of their own, and it never seems to get old. Beast Epic is welcome material for Iron & Wine fans, but more cannon fodder for those who want to say that he’s a stagnant artist.

Incredible String Band-No Ruinous Feud (1973)

My Rating: 50% (D)

Pitchfork Rating: N/A

Rolling Stone Rating: N/A

Metacritic Rating: N/A

Average Rating: 50% (D)

Tracklist (Standout songs underlined):

1. Explorer
2. Down Before Cathay
3. Saturday Maybe
4. Jigs
5. Old Buccaneer
6. At The Lighthouse Dance
7. Second Fiddle
8. Circus Girl
9. Turquoise Blue
10. My Blue Tears
11. Weather The Storm
12. Little Girl

Favourite Song on Album:

Listen to This Album When You’re:

In a Wes Anderson mood.

Thoughts on Album Cover:

Hilarious, I love it.

Want to Own on Vinyl?:

Nope.

Final Thoughts:

I love the YouTube show What’s in my Bag, where famous musicians pick out albums at Amoeba music, I don’t remember who picked this one out, but I gave it a listen. Incredible String Band is one of those groups that seem revered but I don’t know many people who actually listen to them. At the end of the day it just wasn’t my thing, it was a little too twangy and repetitive for my liking. I guess I was just waiting to hear something that justified the hype and it never arrived. Purest will probably call me an ignorant idiot, but at the end of the day No Ruinous Feud is a bland album from an over-hyped group.

The I.L.Y’s-Bodyguard (2017)

My Rating: 90% (A)

Pitchfork Rating: N/A

Rolling Stone Rating: N/A

Metacritic Rating: N/A

Average Rating: 90%

Tracklist (Standout songs underlined):

1. Wash My Hands Shorty
2. Well Known People Want to Know
3. Gargoyle
4. Quietly Being the Best
5. 49er Lighter
6. I Love You Man
7. The Treatment
8. This Is How It Is Now
9. Bobo
10. The Studio

Favourite Song on Album:

Listen to This Album When You’re:

Looking for some unique garage/noise rock.

Thoughts on Album Cover:

Wut?

Want to Own on Vinyl?:

Absolutely!

Final Thoughts:

The I.L.Y’s are on John Dwyer’s record label Castle Face, and being such I thought that they worth my time to listen to. The album is diverse and expertly crafted, just what I’d expect from any musician that aligns themselves with Dwyer. It’s weird, it’s funky, it’s angry at times, but mostly it’s in good spirits. Wash My Hands Shorty is a great start to the album, from there let your brain slowly melt away with the weird and enticing sounds.

Iron & Wine-The Shepherd’s Dog (2007)

My Rating: 92% (A)

Pitchfork Rating: 86%

Rolling Stone Rating: N/A

Metacritic Rating: 84%

Average Rating: 87%

Tracklist (Standout songs underlined):

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

Favourite Song on Album:

Listen to This Album When You:

Need to grieve something. Or you’re alone in a cabin with a whiskey.

Thoughts on Album Cover:

Meh, it’s alright. I think as a vinyl it’d look cool, but  on my ipod it’s kinda whatever.

Want to Own on Vinyl?:

YES!

Final Thoughts:

This is one of those albums that I didn’t realize that was actually really close to my heart until I sat down and listened to the whole thing. It’s hit after hit, flowing smoothly from one song to another. Absolutely beautiful music.