Customer Reviews

Our Endless Numbered Days

5 star:		(99)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Here I am, a grown man, who listens to everything from the Shins to Tool. I was listening to this album in my bed after I bought it that day. I was really tired, so I kind of drifted off (not because the album was boring, far from it - I was just tired). When "Fever Dream" came on I instantly became aware again. It's not like this song has a loud or startling beginning, either - no Iron & Wine song does. But the guitar line was so beautiful my mind must have said "wake up and hear this." I rarely hear a song that affects me so...so dramatically as "Fever Dream" did, and still does. I just layed there, captured by it's sheer gentle beauty. It aroused so many emotions inside that were lying dormant somewhere inside me. The fact is, I've been extrememly lonely lately, and there hasn't been anyone I felt could really sympathize with me. But this song captured my emotions so well I shed tears. You probably think I'm lame, but I just needed to share how deeply this song affected me.

I cannot begin to explain in words how much I Love this album. OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS is perfectly appealing to me in every way: lyrically, instrumentally, vocally, its unique style, right down to the cover. Ahhhh. It should be in every music lovers cd library. Every song can stand alone on its own merit yet, as a complete composition it is breathtaking with each song making the previous and next sound even better. So obviously, I love every track and my favorite is the last track, "Passing Afternoon."
There's a Force in OUR ENDLESS NUMBERED DAYS to be reckoned with. For me, it literally stops time and makes whatever I'm doing a joy while I feel peaceful, humble and thankful as it plays. OEND feeds my spirit as if to say, "Just live life, enjoy as much as possible and take it as it comes-- especially things out of my control." Music that speaks to me...what a gift. I only hope to keep coming across Music this great. Thank you, Sam.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Soar!

Sam Beam is the singer/songwriter behind Iron and Wine. Musically, you'll definitely be reminded of the spare acoustic folk sounds of Nick Drake, though Beam is apt to dust them with country influences quite often in the form of banjos and slide guitar. Vocally, he reminds me of a more hushed Lindsay Buckingham, especially when he utilizes layers of his vocals. ("Radio War" in particular made me think of a RUMOURS outtake..) Tempos and moods here vary between slow and melancholy to mid-tempo and subdued.

HIGHLIGHTS:
"On Your Wings" sinks it with its refrain "God, give us love in the time that we have" as it basks in mortality ("All these men that You've made/How we wither in the shade.."). "Each Coming Night" is another rumination about life's fragility. ("Will you say when I'm gone away/'I loved your son for his sturdy arms'...") "Free Until they Cut me Down" strides close musically to Johnny Cash's take on Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" (at least during the intro section) but nicely diverges later into one of the more musically interesting bits. It's also one of the more cynical tunes here, seemingly placing Beam in the shoes of a rapist ("Papa, don't tell me what I could've done/She's the one who begged me/'Take me home'...") "Fever Dreams" has probably the most poetic take on love here ("I want your flowers/like babies want God's love/Or maybe sure as tomorrow will come") Don't ask me what "Teeth in the Grass" is about...don't ask me to stop hearing it in my head either. It just sticks there...

LOWS:
No particular tunes stick out as bad but there is a sameness of sound throughout the disc. Whether that strikes you as "boring" or "cohesive" is probably in the ear of the beholder. It's also a bit short on runtime (less than 45 minutes) if such things matter to you.

If you like clear-cut images in your lyrics, this ain't the CD for you. I suspect that in some cases Beam just thought the words "sounded good" and they don't have any meaning at all.

BOTTOM LINE:
The cheerleaders for this album are candycoating quite a bit. I don't hear any "new Dylan" here. However, I do find myself liking it after repeated listenings and see it as a nice piece of art. Nick Drake fans are advised to check it out, as are fans of folky pop in general.

3 1/2 stars

When I first read that "Our Endless Numbered Days", the follow-up to the perfect "The Creek Drank the Cradle," was somewhat of a departure from the Iron & Wine formula, I was skeptical. I loved the lo-fi sound of his first effort and I was afraid that this one might lack that certain intimacy evident in it. However, even though the sound is different, the song thankfully remains the same. Sam Beam no longer records on his four-track in his home; rather, he has made the jump to the recording studio and as a result, that lo-fi sound is admittedly lost, making the songs sound much more sharp and clear. However, the intimate sound and simplicity of the songs is still very much there, with only light arrangements included this time around. But the focus in all the songs is still Sam's pleasant, whispery voice and slide guitar, which is a great thing. What the studio enabled him to do was add nice instrumental touches to various songs, giving the entire album some variety and liveliness, including backing vocals from his sister (Sarah Beam); drums and a tambourine on the great, bluesy "Free Until They Cut Me Down;" and the interesting chants at the end of "Cinder and Smoke." There are also some great acoustic ballads akin to the ones on "Creek Drank the Cradle," such as "Naked As We Came," "Sunset Soon Forgotten," and "Fever Dream," among others. The direction he took for this album seems to be just a natural progression in Beam's career, not an immediate shift in production or values. The bonus CD also features some nice, lo-fi sounding recordings that will make anyone who liked his debut happy. Strongly recommended for established fans (you won't be disappointed) and newcomers alike.

Nick Drake is gone, and so is Elliott Smith. But their style has survived in Sam Beam, the mind and soul behind Iron & Wine. I found out about them through the soundtrack of "Garden State" (the year's best OST in my opinion), and I am officially hooked on the mellow voice of Beam... as a beam of light it casts rays of melancholy interspersed with hope that make you want to listen to the album once and again. This makes the choice of a favorite track almost impossible, but if forced, I'd probably stick with "Naked as We Came", "Sunset Soon Forgotten", "Love and Some Verses", "Each Coming Night" and "Sodom, South Georgia." In a nutshell, an album impossible not to love!

For those new to Iron & Wine, in "Our Endless Numbered Days," Sam Beam follows the finger picked folk ballads made popular by Nick Drake in the 1970's. Although many compare Beam's style to that of the late Elliott Smith, Beam keeps to more of an even keel, and rarely experiments with the electric guitar (found on Smith's later albums), rather opting for the occasional slide guitar or banjo to spice things up (just a little). This album can generally be described as mellow, folkish rock, lightly interleaved with hints of blue grass and southern rock to yield fresh and inventive, but not overwhelming folk rock. Although this album is Beam's third (preceded by one full album and an EP) Beam continues to stick to his strengths and compose a beautiful and coherent mélange of mild-mannered - sometimes gloomy - often cheerful - but always insightful and enjoyable songs. What's more amazing is despite his success, Beam continues to make music that's uncluttered and never over-polished. On tracks like "Naked As We Came," and "Sunset Soon Forgotten," you'll appreciate the catchy melodies that immediately invite you in, but make sure not to ignore Beam's furtive and astute lyrics that make the experience even more fulfilling.

If you're looking for an album that you can listen to all-they-way-through, one that's approachable, meaningful, and never over-dramatic, pick up Sam Beam's "Our Endless Numbered Days," and trust me, you'll be coming back for more!

While it would be a mistake to call OEND upbeat or candidate for album of the year, it's definetly enjoyable. The music is soft and alluring with a simplicity that makes it somewhat refreshing, a change at least from ordinary. And the lyrics (while they may not be as easily heard in the song) are profound while fitting well with the benign flow of the songs. So, all in all, it doesn't rip, but at times a quiet listen is what you need.

wow.. on the first listen i was in tears. this is like a gregorian chant for the modern listener. its stripped down to the essentials of beauty - poetic lyrics, warm melodies, and selective instrumentation. to me, beam found a perfect balance between complication and simplicity that has the same nirvana effect i feel when listening to miles davis, only this music is more convenient to the average listener. this is definetely an anxiety relieving album.... i listen to this record after a hard day at work or when i'm tired but can't sleep. it should be prescribed by psychiatrists. it is probably better than xanax. sorry this positive comment probably didn't help considering there are so many, but i couldn't help but express my gratitude for this. thanks iron and wine.

If you've ever wondered what the definition of "the sublime" is, listen to "Passing Afternoon," the last track on this perfect album.

I can't write a definition of "the sublime."

But I know that it's achieved in the last 30 seconds of that song.

Sam Beam makes intimately personal music that is oddly impersonal. While these bittersweet songs often ring from universal themes, I sometimes feel like they were straight out of my mind. That is a really neat trick, considering that this genre of folk has a tendency for navel gazing. To that extent, the second CD from Beam's Iron and Wine ranks with the likes of Elliot Smith and the late Nick Drake. These are songs that get inside of your head and stay there.

While that won't certainly be to everyone's taste (a few of my friends rate this kind of music as barely above the level of Dentist Office Muzak), the ambiance of Beam's Southern stoicism is like a contemplative walk through a field of high grass. There are songs of love and death ("Sodom South Georgia" and "Free Until They Cut Me Down") simple life and love ("Sunset Soon Forgotten" and "Passing Afternoon") set to guitar, banjo and Dobro, all sung in Beam's hushed and melodious voice. Like Ray LaMontagne has in the past couple of years (or even Leonard Cohen before them), Beam is writing deeply poetic songs that are just begging to be covered or placed in a movie soundtrack to offer context.

Recommended for fans of Nick Drake, Leonard Cohen, Ray LaMontagne, Will Oldham and Bonnie Prince Billie.