Time Bandit Same with Songs

Often in a completely different way The CV: big interview/usa than we expected. Throughout life Sam Beam, as Iron & Wine, you can always look back and see has made music for more than a decade. He captures things with new eyes and it’s the listeners’ imaginations with Time bandit same with songs. masterful songwriting in six albums and numerous EPs. On his latest album, Sam Beam, otherwise known as M: What do you think of Austin’s supposed hipness? Discography: Iron & Wine, is in a reflective mood. His theory: embrace the “The Creek Drank the SB: Honestly, I don’t think about it moment but if it’s not happening, just do something else. Cradle” (2002) because I lived there for so long “Our Endless Numbered By Sarah Rowland with my family – it was simply Days” (2004) Photography Valerie Chiang home at the time. Initially I moved “The Shepherd’s Dog” to Austin to be centrally located (2007) for touring and it was already a “Kiss Each Other Clean” (2011) On a foliage-covered terrace of MONOCLE: With “Beast Epic”, what progressive city. I definitely saw it “Ghost on Ghost” (2013) Austin’s Hotel San José, frontman did you set out to do? change and grow to become what “Sing into my Mouth” Sam Beam of indie-folk outfit Iron & SAM BEAM: I never go into creating it is right now. In many ways it’s with Ben Bridwell (2015) Wine muses (appropriately enough, with a motive because the songs are great for the city but it’s alienating “Love Letter for Fire” over a glass of chardonnay) on the art made up of what I’m experiencing. I too many long-time residents as with Jesca Hoop (2016) “Beast Epic” (2017) of songwriting, his new album and write all the time so I have a tonne of well. That’s just how these things how life is currently moving in circles. songs around. When the time comes work. I still love Austin and it will “Beast Epic” is Beam’s first solo you have to decide what this new still be great long after its hipness M: Are you introspective? release in four years. There’s a kin- body of work will be about. wears off. SB: When I write songs I’m escaping ship between this collection and his to do it. The idea of collaborating early material: “The Creek Drank M: Did you make a conscious choice M: You lived in Austin but relocated is so attractive to me. In Nashville, the Cradle” (2002) and “Our Endless to simplify the sound? to North Carolina. Is the writing music is part of the city’s fabric and Numbered Days” (2004). “Often I SB: The scale got big for a while and I process different in each city? the songwriting culture blows my return to old themes like love, death, wanted something different. The best SB: My writing process has been mind. They get together, play guitars the rite of passage. Throughout life songs are the ones where I’m able to changing over the past few years but and write. I love the communal we’re in transition and ‘Beast Epic’ pour more into the lyrics so I wanted not so much in regards to place. It’s “You must learn aspect. I’ve never taken part but explores those themes through a new to return to that. The albums before more about me wanting to stretch that you cannot it’s amazing. I love making musical lens of experience,” says Beam. weren’t as personal. Most stories out. It’s lost some of its discipline, conversations with other people but The album epitomises reflective, on “Beast Epic” are from direct for better or worse. I used to be please everyone. I’m still learning how to collaborate confessional songwriting while explor- experience, which makes them feel focused all day, every day. My You have to in terms of words. The first time I ing Beam’s fascination with how time more authentic, exposed and loose. passion hasn’t changed but I’m please yourself ever wrote lyrics with someone else exerts itself. “It’s so interesting the way no longer regulating it. If it’s not in the moment was with Jesca Hoop. I found it so time is spinning, how we’re constantly M: You often revisit themes but with happening I’ll do something else. and be satisfied rewarding. It takes kindred spirits. approaching or leaving, returning to a different lens. I’ve been painting a lot. the unexpected or strangely familiar,” SB: I’ve always been fascinated by with that” M: What is ‘Americana’? he says. “The journey of life ends up how time lays itself out, how it M: Do you get to see much of the SB: I’ve seen the term being applied being a circle.” — (m) affects us. Where does the story go? places you visit on tour? to clothing, art and design, as well SB: Last year I did a show in Istanbul as music. For me that’s really all it and the city was amazing. We had characteristics of humans. I liked observing things to be produced is: a way to categorise something an afternoon off to explore and it the sound of it. It doesn’t really later. Think of yourself like the in order to sell it. The concept is was a place I had only dreamed mean anything but it seems to seasons of the Earth. You can’t not unlike grunge or shoegaze. If of visiting. It was incredible to see describe that record perfectly. bloom always. it helps people to understand my how the East and West meld. I was music and leads them to it, I think also fortunate to play in Mexico M: What are your writing M: What do you think makes a that’s OK. One can only hope it and South America a few years obsessions right now? good song? won’t act as a stop sign. ago and had amazing promoters: SB: I haven’t been writing much SB: It has to make me dance or Folk Yeah! in Argentina, Fauna lately, after finishing this album. move my heart. It also depends on M: You’re heading out on a long tour in Chile and Lunario in Mexico I used to get worried when I what point in your life you hear it. in support of “Beast Epic”. Is that City. They ended up acting as tour didn’t write for a while and feel Remember in high school, when the part you still live for? guides: they made sure we saw like maybe it had gone! That’s you hear a song and think, “This is SB: Being on the road takes a lot of places such as La Casa Azul in a naive perspective, to think I the most important thing I’ve ever preparation mentally and physically. Mexico City. The promoter drove don’t have anything else to say. heard!” When you hear it years later I love it, though, especially when us there in her car. You have to learn to be kind to you wonder what on earth you were you have a new batch of songs. I yourself and recognise seasons and thinking. We’re fickle. It’s best to love sharing them and I hope they M: So, what’s the new album’s story? cycles of your life. Learn how the just embrace the moment. Take in bring other people joy. I have the SB: I saw the term “beast epic” in output of your spirit works and be whatever that song has to say – the opportunity to stand on stage, sing a poet’s glossary, which describes aware that sometimes you’re really moment is passing but it doesn’t to a crowd and say, “Here we are, narratives where animals take on productive and sometimes you’re mean it’s less important. doing this thing together.” 128 — monocle — no106 no106 — monocle — 129.

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