Last week we posted about Sam Beam of Iron and Wine's set at Messiah College. The show was the second in a pair of acoustic teasers for the fantasic The Shepherd's Dog. Two days prior to the Messiah College show, Sam performed at Milwaukee's Pabst Theater. The tracklist is strikingly similar with one major exception, TSD stunner "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" closes as the second encore.
Iron & Wine's latest album, The Shepherd's Dog, is out this week, but we've already written about that here.
In February of 2007 Sam Beam played a pair of seemingly random shows, the second of which took place at Messiah College in Grantham, PA. With minimal backing, Sam tried his hand (or fingers) at several songs that would find their way in expanded versions on The Shepherd's Dog. Stripped of TSD's kitchen sink instrumentation, many of these songs are given more space to breath allowing for added emotional resonance. One can only imagine that the intention was to debut much of this material lending to a eudemonic atmosphere, as Sam jokes about the titles or flubs opening lines.
Luckily for those of us who were unable to attend, a sound board recording was made for broadcast on the campus radio station. The strength of these performances makes this essential listening for both die hard obsessives and passing fans.
Download: Iron & Wine - Messiah College 02/10/200701. Die
02. He Lays in the Reins
03. Sodom, South Georgia
04. Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car
05. Lovesong of the Buzzard
06. Free Until They Cut Me Down
07. House by the Sea
08. Naked As We Came
09. Peace Beneath the City
10. Muddy Hymnal
11. Boy Wtih A Coin
12. Jezebel
13. Carousel
14. Resurrection Fern
15. Trapeze Swinger
16. Upward Over the Mountain
Video: Lovesong of the Buzzard - Messiah College
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Buy The Shepherd's Dog at Amazon.com
A new album by Sam Beam's musical moniker, Iron & Wine, comes with a number of expectations. He is from the south. He plays gently finger picked acoustic guitar. He sings in a near whisper. He has a beard.
