Album Review: Iron & Wine - 'Hen's Teeth'

Sam Beam, aka Iron & Wine, knows how to paint a vivid mental picture. His new album, Hen's Teeth, has no shortage of that beautiful imagery.

His last album, Light Verse (2024), seemed bigger, more concise, more orchestrated than his upcoming Hen's Teeth. Blink and you’ll miss that these two are sibling albums, or, in Beams own words ‘Kissing cousins. If Light Verse is the older, more outspoken sibling, Hen's Teeth is the younger, quieter one.

The intimacy of this album hits you immediately with the opening track "Roses".  With an opening line like ‘Run into the one you love forever/Laugh into each other’s empty mouth’, It’s impossible not to feel the imagery lift you up and carry you away.

Whether Beam meant to stick a theme to Hen's Teeth or not, raw, real intimacy seems to be the forefront on this album. "Paper and Stone", and "In your Ocean", have a romantic call back to "Roses"- in "In your Ocean", Beam sings ‘Praying for dry ground/Though I only want to drown/When I find myself swimming in your ocean’.

Iron & Wine stands out because Sam Beam is the only permanent member, yet he doesn’t treat it like a solitary endeavor. Rather than positioning himself as a one-man act, Beam gravitates towards collaboration, surrounding himself with friends and fellow musicians who help shape each albums unique sound. Hen's Teeth continues that tradition, drawing a deep bench of guest artists whose contributions bring richness and character to the album. The album boasts two duets with indie country trio I’m with Her- "Robin’s egg" and "Wait up". Listen carefully, and you may even hear Beam’s daughter Arden backing him up and harmonizing on a few tracks as well.

"Grace Notes" is arguably the standout track on this album. It’s lyrics are hauntingly poetic yet relatable, capturing the ache of care that was poured into this record. There's an emotional weight to the song, one that lingers rather than resolves. ‘When the garden I watered with tears/Is beautiful this time of year/all the blossoms fall, and their petals get heavy/when I let them follow me home’.

Ultimately, Hen's Teeth feels more like a conversation than a statement. An album that finds beauty in the quiet and meaning in the complex. As a listener, lean in slowly and let this album unfold at its own pace, one layer at a time. In that gradual reveal, Hen's Teeth becomes something that stays with you long after the final note fades.

Hens Teeth is out February 27^th.

Rating - 4.5/5