Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell, “Sing Into My Mouth”

Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell
Sing Into My Mouth
BLACK CRICKET/BROWN
6/10

A covers album is a very difficult thing to pull off, even with tempered expectations. On Sing Into My Mouth, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam and Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell manage to blend their distinct folk- and alt-rock sounds harmoniously within each track, creating a compilation of largely enjoyable covers. Beam and Bridwell alternate vocals on the album’s twelve tracks, but the music behind them feels unified—think folky acoustic and big, orchestrated soundscapes—on cuts by artists you might expect (Pete Seeger, John Cale, El Perro del Mar) and a few you might not (Sade, Spiritualized). They definitely don’t always hit the mark, though; the pair’s take on Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)” lacks its essential funky melody and whimsy. But overall, Sing Into My Mouth works as a whole, and is a solid addition to both of their discographies.