Around the Well

( 2 )

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Andrew Leahey
Named after a lyric from "The Trapeze Swinger," Around the Well collects two discs' worth of B-sides, rarities, and discarded tracks from the Iron & Wine catalog. These kinds of compilations can be tricky to assemble, but Around the Well is both comprehensive and conveniently presented, with each disc representing the two amorphous halves of Iron & Wine's career. Disc one is limited to the group's early days, meaning it's filled with soft bedroom whispers, homespun acoustics, and the lo-fi production that fueled Sam Beam's home recording sessions. Material from those same sessions would later form the track list of The Creek Drank the Cradle, but Around the Well ...
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More About This Product

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Andrew Leahey
Named after a lyric from "The Trapeze Swinger," Around the Well collects two discs' worth of B-sides, rarities, and discarded tracks from the Iron & Wine catalog. These kinds of compilations can be tricky to assemble, but Around the Well is both comprehensive and conveniently presented, with each disc representing the two amorphous halves of Iron & Wine's career. Disc one is limited to the group's early days, meaning it's filled with soft bedroom whispers, homespun acoustics, and the lo-fi production that fueled Sam Beam's home recording sessions. Material from those same sessions would later form the track list of The Creek Drank the Cradle, but Around the Well pays attention to the songs that were cut from the album, offering several genuine gems amidst a constant stream of pleasant, stay-in-bed songcraft. Meanwhile, the second disc highlights Iron & Wine's shift from intimate solo project to collaborative indie folk band, beginning with the Our Endless Numbered Days sessions and culminating in the pastoral psychedelia of The Shepherd's Dog. Some of these selections are already familiar to Iron & Wine's biggest fans, including Beam's cover of "Such Great Heights" (heard on the Garden State soundtrack, as well as an oddly trippy M&Ms commercial) and the gorgeous concert staple "The Trapeze Swinger." Even so, few fans outside of Beam's social circle have heard standout tunes like "Kingdom of the Animals" and the vaguely Middle Eastern-sounding "Arms of a Thief," and Around the Well serves as a helpful reminder that a discarded Iron & Wine song is still better than most fine-tuned cuts from other bands.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/19/2009
  • Label: Sub Pop
  • UPC: 098787080827
  • Catalog Number: 70808
  • Sales rank: 12,777

Album Credits

Performance Credits
Iron & Wine Primary Artist
Joey Burns Musician
Brian Deck Musician
Paul Niehaus Musician
Rob Burger Musician
Jim Becker Musician
Sam Beam Musician
EJ Holowicki Musician
Randy Henry Musician
Technical Credits
Brian Deck Producer, Audio Production
S. Morris Composer
Laetitia Sadier Composer
Wayne Coyne Composer
Steven Drozd Composer
Balthazar de Ley Engineer
Ben Gibbard Composer
Sam Beam Composer, Producer, Art Direction, Audio Production
Jimmy Tamborello Composer
Colin Studybaker Engineer
Dusty Summers Art Direction
Neil Strauch Engineer, Remastering
T. Gane Composer
M. Ivins Composer
P. Hook Composer
B. Sumner Composer
G. Gilbert Composer
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 2 )
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Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    more from this reviewer

    I Also Recommend:

    Brother's Blood
    Langhorne Slim
    Middle Cyclone
    Elvis Perkins in Dearland
    The Shepherd's Dog

    Rare songs and covers around the well

    I have been a fan of Iron & Wine since my friend Lauara let me borrow OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS. After that my son got me the rest of his stuff including the wonderful stuff he did with Calexio on In The Reins. We are going to see him this August when he plays at The Newport Folk Festival so I was excited when I heard he had an album coming out. Two CD's filled with 23 out-of-print and never before released tracks. Favorites are Dearest Forsaken which opens the first CD and Trapeze Swinger which closed the second CD. In between are great covers of Flaming ips Waiting for Superman and New Oders Love Vigilante (which I have as a cover on an old Oyster Band CD). Sam Bean never ceases to amaze me and he didn't fail me this time either. Definately worth the price if a fan and certainly a nice introduction if you've always wanted to start to get into Iron & Wine

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted May 20, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 2 Customer Reviews