iron & wine & the weekend

i've never really responded too well to one man bands like bright eyes, bonnie prince billy, or iron & wine...i probably shouldn't be lumping these guys together so carelessly, but i am...maybe it's the aliases that throw me off, after all i'm a big fan of m. ward, who's music seems similar...or maybe i'm just scared they won't rock out on stage; i was never into songs:ohia until i saw magnolia electric co. live...whatever it is, something has always subconsciously turned me off of those three artists...even after hearing multiple songs from them that i really liked, i never sought out the rest of the album...they all seem like cool guys, too; conor oberst (bright eyes) runs in the same circle as m. ward & jim james, i've read hilarious interviews with will oldham (bonnie 'prince' billy) & he's had interesting turns as an actor in films like junebug & old joy, & a few years ago at the first intonation fest (which is now the pitchfork fest) i saw sam beam put on an incredible dj set with jean grae, spinning obscure 70's funk & 80's r&b in jean shorts & a fanny pack...still, i avoided most of their albums, even while my friends raved about them (maybe because my friends raved about them)...eventually, last year, i gave iron & wine a chance when he put out an album with calexico & i was very pleasantly surprised, so when i saw that he had another album coming out this month, i decided to check it out right away...i'm really glad i did too, because it's fantastic...i don't know if i was expecting a lo-fi, bare bones, intimate affair, but it's anything but...the record's upbeat, with full instrumentation & creative arrangements, his voice is still soft & there are still some very intimate moments, but it's never boring...the shepard's dog comes out next tuesday & iron & wine is playing the metro this sunday.

download: iron & wine - white tooth man
download: iron & wine - wolves (song of the shepard's dog)

live weekend: in addition to iron & wine, here's what's happening in chicago this weekend; rhett miller's plays the early show at schubas tonight, followed by one of dg's recent raves, tigercity, the national will be playing the vic tomorrow, while bettye lavette (who also has an album out on tuesday) might break out some springsteen for estrojam at the metro & loudon wainwright iii will be at old town school of folk, peanut butter wolf is also spinning at sonotheque, big daddy kane is in town as part of the vh1 hip hop honors tour with the roots & mc lyte at the house of blues saturday, & pop/rock infused jazz trio, the bad plus will be at old town on sunday.

download: rhett miller - the el
download: tigercity - are you sensation?
download: bettye lavette - streets of philadelphia
download: loudon wainwright iii - daughter
download: the free design - umbrellas (peanut butter wolf remix)
download: big daddy kane - warm it up, kane
download: the bad plus - tom sawyer (rush cover)