Albums to watch

Beast Epic

Iron & Wine

Beast Epic

First album of new material in nearly four years from Sam Beam's indie folk outfit

ADM rating[?]

7.1

Label
Sub Pop
UK Release date
25/08/2017
US Release date
25/08/2017
  1. 10.0 |   A.V. Club

    Beast Epic perfectly distills a career into a nearly perfect collection
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  2. 8.1 |   Paste Magazine

    A confident album from an artist who isn’t afraid to merge the past and present
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  3. 8.0 |   All Music

    It may not be a step forward, but it is a strong step in a very pleasing direction, especially for fans of a more unfiltered Iron & Wine
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  4. 8.0 |   The Guardian

    These songs may be modest – none break the four-minute mark – and undemanding, but their sure-footed craft creates profound, 12-tog comfort
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  5. 8.0 |   Q

    A kind of father-to-son conversation between songwriter and song. Print edition only

  6. 8.0 |   Mojo

    Less cloudy than his earlier records, Beast Epic feels more rooted in its sun-warmed ground. Print edition only

  7. 8.0 |   The Quietus

    Beam has delivered a suite of songs that is equal to anything he's done before
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  8. 8.0 |   Spectrum Culture

    A sophisticated listen full of vivid imagery
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  9. 7.5 |   Consequence Of Sound

    While it’s no instant classic, Beast Epic serves as a valuable way point in Iron & Wine’s still-evolving legacy
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  10. 7.5 |   Pitchfork

    Sam Beam brings Iron & Wine full circle on his sixth album, using the warm acoustic instrumentation of his early work and some of the most moving singing of his career
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  11. 7.0 |   PopMatters

    His best album since 2007’s The Shepherd’s Dog, and potentially his finest vocal performance to date
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  12. 7.0 |   Rolling Stone

    Beam's most dynamic and convincing record in years
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  13. 7.0 |   Earbuddy

    Not really a "beast" and not really "epic", but it is classic Iron & Wine
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  14. 7.0 |   American Songwriter

    A return trip to his roots, offering a gentle reminder of his early records’ simple beauty while allowing himself the freedom to build
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  15. 7.0 |   Under The Radar

    Beast Epic is a beauty. One would be hard-pressed to name something Beam did that wasn't
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  16. 7.0 |   Clash

    His most pleasing work since 2007’s ‘The Shepherd’s Dog’
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  17. 7.0 |   musicOMH

    It may be unlikely to win Beam huge number of new followers, but long term fans will find much to enjoy within its self-contained, unobtrusive sounds
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  18. 6.5 |   Prefix

    Mostly this is a rewarding new record from Sam Beam, and the best spotlight for his singing Iron & Wine has released
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  19. 6.0 |   Slant Magazine

    Drifts by like a pleasant but fleeting summer breeze
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  20. 6.0 |   The Arts Desk

    This is music as a kind of comfort food, rescuing the lost from self-destruction, inducing a form of spiritual longing, just the right side of saccharine
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  21. 6.0 |   The Independent

    The latest in a line of albums whose beguiling melodies, guitar picking and murmurous vocals conceal lyrics whose mysteries take months to unpick
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  22. 6.0 |   Exclaim

    It's noble to see Iron & Wine trying to take his songs into a different direction, but it's a shame that he lacks the confidence to allow these great songs to show off their personality without the help of inane studio glossiness
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  23. 6.0 |   The Irish Times

    Neither beastly nor epic, but just about enough to sate fans
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  24. 4.0 |   Evening Standard

    No doubt time spent pondering the lyrics would reveal well-worn truths about love and authenticity and night skies. But there’s little to entice one to spend that time
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