Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
The ongoing journey of Sam Beam from bedroom mystic to ringleader of a slick stadium indie rock band is completed on 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean. While the previous Iron & Wine album, The Shepherd's Dog, was also very produced and pro-sounding, this album is huge. Beam, a cast of many, and producer Brian Deck have embellished the songs with a ton of studio tricks, a wide variety of instruments from flute to squelchy old synths, and a tightly arranged, loosely flowing feel that anyone who was initially enraptured by Beam’s early recordings might be hard-pressed to recognize. (Though Beam’s voice is still as haunting and intimate as ever for the most part.) Once you accept that I&W are now as established as a “real” band on par with Wilco or the Flaming Lips, some questions arise. Are they still any good? Can Beam still capture a heart with a tender melody and an aching vocal despite all the tricks and sax solos? Does the musicianship on display overpower the songs? Will Beam survive in the big leagues? Most of these questions were answered in the affirmative on the last album; they are reaffirmed here. Beam still writes and sings in a voice that could penetrate even the most syrupy backing -- nothing will likely ever change that. His lyrics have the same broken and bruised poetry they’ve always had, only now they are surrounded by haunting and inventive arrangements that are even more intricate and interesting than on The Shepherd's Dog. This time, Beam and company bring in soft rock smoothness, dub reggae textures, and instruments that haven’t really been featured on previous records. The vintage synths in particular deserve mention; whether they are bubbling like mad on “Monkeys Uptown” or getting Stevie Wonder-funky on “Big Burned Hand,” they give the otherwise very organic-sounding arrangements a welcome cheesy kick. Other aspects that deserve praise are Sarah Simpson’s sweetly sung backing vocals and Deck’s production. He layers instruments and mixes sound like he’s baking a giant cake, giving the songs depth and a widescreen scope in the process. Beam couldn’t have picked a better person for the job of blowing his music up to the large-scale work of beauty it has become. If you’ve been on board since the beginning, you have to marvel at the perfectly timed and logical way the music has progressed. No one could ever accuse Beam of selling out his art, only growing up and building it up. Kiss Each Other Clean is the result of years of growth and change, and though that sounds incredibly boring, it’s also a record full of roiling emotion, tender wit, and deeply felt melodic beauty. In other words, a standard issue Iron & Wine record.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, Engineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Composer, Lyricist, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Composer, Lyricist, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Greg Calbi, Masterer - Brian Deck, Producer, Mixer - Sam Beam, Writer - Iron & Wine, MainArtist - Jake Westermann, RecordingEngineer
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
The ongoing journey of Sam Beam from bedroom mystic to ringleader of a slick stadium indie rock band is completed on 2011’s Kiss Each Other Clean. While the previous Iron & Wine album, The Shepherd's Dog, was also very produced and pro-sounding, this album is huge. Beam, a cast of many, and producer Brian Deck have embellished the songs with a ton of studio tricks, a wide variety of instruments from flute to squelchy old synths, and a tightly arranged, loosely flowing feel that anyone who was initially enraptured by Beam’s early recordings might be hard-pressed to recognize. (Though Beam’s voice is still as haunting and intimate as ever for the most part.) Once you accept that I&W are now as established as a “real” band on par with Wilco or the Flaming Lips, some questions arise. Are they still any good? Can Beam still capture a heart with a tender melody and an aching vocal despite all the tricks and sax solos? Does the musicianship on display overpower the songs? Will Beam survive in the big leagues? Most of these questions were answered in the affirmative on the last album; they are reaffirmed here. Beam still writes and sings in a voice that could penetrate even the most syrupy backing -- nothing will likely ever change that. His lyrics have the same broken and bruised poetry they’ve always had, only now they are surrounded by haunting and inventive arrangements that are even more intricate and interesting than on The Shepherd's Dog. This time, Beam and company bring in soft rock smoothness, dub reggae textures, and instruments that haven’t really been featured on previous records. The vintage synths in particular deserve mention; whether they are bubbling like mad on “Monkeys Uptown” or getting Stevie Wonder-funky on “Big Burned Hand,” they give the otherwise very organic-sounding arrangements a welcome cheesy kick. Other aspects that deserve praise are Sarah Simpson’s sweetly sung backing vocals and Deck’s production. He layers instruments and mixes sound like he’s baking a giant cake, giving the songs depth and a widescreen scope in the process. Beam couldn’t have picked a better person for the job of blowing his music up to the large-scale work of beauty it has become. If you’ve been on board since the beginning, you have to marvel at the perfectly timed and logical way the music has progressed. No one could ever accuse Beam of selling out his art, only growing up and building it up. Kiss Each Other Clean is the result of years of growth and change, and though that sounds incredibly boring, it’s also a record full of roiling emotion, tender wit, and deeply felt melodic beauty. In other words, a standard issue Iron & Wine record.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:43:57
- Main artists: Iron & Wine
- Composer: Sam Beam
- Label: Warner Records
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock Alternative & Indie
2010 © 2011 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 2010, 2011 Warner Records Inc.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.