Iron & Wine – Hen’s Teeth (Transparent White Vinyl)

Hen’s Teeth and his previous album, Light Verse, are siblings of a sort. They were recorded during the same sessions after a year-long dry spell, with the same band, at Waystation studio in Laurel Canyon. “I’m at a point in my life where spontaneity is a lot more important to me. I’m a lot freer and I love making music more than ever. There are no right or wrong answers. You just pray for your luck and try your best.” Hen’s Teeth features David Garza on guitar, Sebastian Steinberg on bass, and Tyler Chester on keyboards. Gri n Goldsmith, Beth Goodfellow, and Kyle Crane all play drums. Paul Cartwright handled string arrangements, and plays violin and mandolin among others. The indie-country trio I’m With Her appears on the ebullient lead single, “Robin’s Egg,” and again on the tender, mournful “Wait Up.” Beam’s daughter Arden contributes harmonies and backing vocals on three tracks. Born two months before the release of his debut album, The Creek Drank the Cradle (2002), she is now 23 years old and a musician herself_the first of his children to appear on one of his records.