Twilight Saved My Life

Don’t get all gangsta on my *ss. I like twilight and all but not to that extent. C’mon Kristen? Seriously? Can’t she act less monotonously? Me thinks she can’t, let us wait till the new installment comes out, but let’s not wait for the inevitable.

How did Twilight save my life, you may ask? Two words. Iron and Wine. I guess, three counting the article. Do you recall the prom scene, when Kristen wore that dress ,that was 4 inches below the knee with leggings?

L-E-G-G-I-N-G-S

No? Me neither, but what I do remember was the song that played. It was, for me, by far the sweetest song I would personally love to slow-dance to, any takers?

The lyrics may not make a lot of sense, but hey the melody is beautiful right? After hearing this, I became interested in who Iron and Wine was, thus I compulsively got all their albums; singles, EP’s and studio releases.

If you’re into quiet and/or folksy un-mainstream artists/bands , that are actually kind of perfect for this kind of rainy weather we’re (in the Philippines)  having lately, I strongly recommend Iron and Wine.


Who the heck are they?

Excellent question. Iron and Wine is actually just a pseudonym or stage name of Sam Beam, a college professor from Miami, Florida. It’s a one-man band and has been around since 2002. During which time he has released several albums that were acclaimed by fans and critics alike, such as The Creek Drank the Cradle, Our Endless Numbered Days and The Shepherd’s Dog, just to name a few.

What is the genre of the music?

The general feel is Indie and Folksy, very lyrical. Mostly the guitar is heard in most his songs, but he also plays around with the piano, a bit of jazz and percussion and sometimes the banjo. Different genres are molded together in terms of sound. His albums can be safely described as 60’s-70’s influenced. I say 60’s to 70’s influence, because of the quality of the sound, like you’re listening to it on a vinyl record and the effects used on some of the songs. Take Monkey’s Uptown for example.

What's interesting to me is recurring theme in his music is religion and/or faith along with forlorn love. If ever I’m wrong in any of my statements, please let me know, so I can sheepishly delete it and willingly educate myself on the vast genres of music.

Comparisons? Sounds like *insert name here*?

Iron & Wine, has been compared to a lot of bands/singers, but I would have to agree that some the songs remind me of Simon and Garfunkel’s. That breathy and soft I-want-to-lay-my-head-on-a-pillow-now kind of way that he sings.

What are my top 5 songs from Iron & Wine?

Some people would find it rather difficult to state their top song from a singer when they really like all the songs, even more so if they’re presented with the herculean task of just narrowing it down to five, but these songs really stood out for me, so it’s a bit of a shoe-in. (Links to YouTube.com)

1. Flightless Bird, American Mouth – OST Twilight
2. Fever Dream - Our Endless Numbered Days
3. Walking Far From Home - Kiss Each Other Clean
4. Bird Stealing Bread – Norfolk
5. Communion Cups and Someone’s Coat

So summing it up, Twilight had served its purpose and no I’m not talking about the shirtless Jacob Black. Thanks to Twilight, I got to feast on these mellifluous songs, that will go on the playlist of my life. Yes, I do have a playlist of my life, just like every normal “misunderstood” “angst-filled” “melodramatic” and other cliché adjectives that is attributed to teenagers. I like to think of myself as a main character in a movie, that has a playlist for every moment, that is worth shooting of course.

If you want to know more about Iron and Wine or if you want to listen to their other songs that weren’t featured here, you can visit their website .

Enjoy!

IceRocket Tags: songs,indie,folk,iron & wine,review