Much has been made of the contemplative creative burst afforded many artists throughout the pandemic and the lockdowns experienced across the globe, but for some - like Iron & Wine's Sam Beam, Covid brought on a sense of unproductive paralysis. Thankfully, after the lockdowns lifted, and through some tentative recording and touring, Beam says "I could finally feel the blood coming back into the body and the creative muscles beginning to relax and move again". There is an audible sense of relief on new album Light Verse, light a beautiful long sigh, and we're lucky to have Iron & Wine back in our hearts and ears. - Flying Out
When the pandemic began, and the world shut down, so did the process of creating for Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam. In its place was a domesticity that the singer hadn’t felt in a long time, and although it was filled with many rewards, making music was not one of them. Reflecting on that time, Beam notes:
“I feel blessed and grateful that I and most of my friends and family made it through the pandemic relatively unscathed compared to so many others, but it completely paralyzed the songwriter in me. While so many artists, fortunately, found inspiration in the chaos, I was the opposite and withered with the constant background noise of uncertainty and fear. The last thing I wanted to write about was COVID, and yet every moment I sat with my pen, it lingered around the edges and wouldn’t leave. I struggled to focus until I gave up, and this lasted for over two years.”
The journey back began with a recording session in Memphis to record a handful of Lori McKenna tracks for the EP Lori with friend and producer Matt Ross-Spang.
Tracklist
- You Never Know
- Anyone’s Game
- All in Good Time
- Cutting It Close
- Taken by Surprise
- Yellow Jacket
- Sweet Talk
- Tears That Don’t Matter
- Bag of Cats
- Angels Go Home