The Creek Drank the Cradle

The debut album from Florida singer/songwriter Sam Beam is comprised of home demos that accentuate the haunted, forlorn vibe of Beam\'s warm, whispery voice. The occasional slide guitar or banjo aside, these are sparsely adorned acoustic guitar vignettes that wouldn\'t sound out of place in Simon & Garfunkel\'s catalog or as contemporaries with the songbooks of James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Joni Mitchell. There are no attempts at punk dissonance, or at recreating the feeling of an old Folkways field recording, as often befalls acoustic performers working in the indie-rock realm. Rich in harmonies and sweet, swaying rhythms (\"Bird Stealing Bread\"), with strong nods to obvious influences (Nick Drake for \"Faded From the Winter\"), *Creek* is one of the finest folk albums of the early 21st century.

Iron and Wine, the recorded Word of one Samuel Beam, Miami, Florida; is one of those one-guy-and-his -tapedeck affairs. The Creek Drank the Cradle is filled with hushed, restrained vocals, affecting lyrics from a naturalist’s perspective, exploring relationships and the hope born from them, all of which come across as though whispered to you personally, accompanied by guitar, banjo, slide guitar… Taken as a whole, The Creek Drank the Cradle_, Iron and Wine’swine debut CD, is an ode to an older South; a part of America that is defined by “traditional values,” pastoral imagery and arcane manners. Or maybe that’s just what we want to hear.

I sometimes wonder if musicians like Samuel Beam (aka Iron & Wine), envy contemporary "artists" such as Britney Spears or Linkin ...

Iron and Wine's debut record, The Creek Drank the Cradle, is written, produced, and performed by Sam Beam and features only Beam's voice, a gently strummed acoustic guitar, some slide guitar, and the occasional banjo.