Kiss Each Other Clean
Iron & Wine · 2011
44 min · 10 tracks · country music
A rich tapestry of folk and country sounds, blending introspective lyrics with lush instrumental arrangements.
Top tracks — play these first
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Walking Far From Home Start here — Opening the album with a dreamlike quality, this track captures the essence of longing and exploration through its vivid imagery and haunting melody.
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Tree by the River — This song beautifully balances melancholy and hope, using nature as a metaphor for love and loss, reflecting Beam's lyrical depth.
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Me and Lazarus — Combining upbeat instrumentation with introspective lyrics, this track showcases Beam's ability to weave personal narratives into broader themes of life and death.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends rich instrumentation with introspective lyrics, creating a cohesive yet varied listening experience.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a track that features layered harmonies and a steady rhythm, setting a reflective tone that persists throughout.
- Several tracks incorporate varied instrumentation, including strings and brass, which enrich the overall sound without overwhelming the vocals.
- The lyrical themes often explore personal introspection and nature, with imagery that invites listeners to engage deeply with the content.
- Composition 25% of the score
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7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- steady mid-tempo reflective moments
- introspective lyrics for quiet evenings
- rich arrangements for focused listening
- gentle pacing for leisurely afternoons
Maybe skip if you
- seekers of high-energy tracks
- prefer immediate gratification songs
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Experimental — Represents a significant evolution in sound from earlier albums, blending genres.
- Career context
- Kiss Each Other Clean is Iron & Wine's fourth studio album, marking a significant evolution from their earlier, more stripped-down sound. Released in 2011, it followed the critically acclaimed album Kiss Each Other Clean, showcasing a broader sonic palette and a shift towards more complex arrangements during a time when Sam Beam was refining his artistic identity.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Sufjan Stevens· Nick Drake· Fleet Foxes
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Your Fake Name Is Good Enough for Me
The narrator reflects on the complexities of identity and connection while addressing a lover directly in an intimate tone.
This direct address creates a vulnerability that contrasts with the broader themes of deception and authenticity explored throughout the song.
Tracklist
- 1 Walking Far From Home Start here 4:46
- 2 Me and Lazarus 3:02
- 3 Tree by the River 3:56
- 4 Monkeys Uptown 3:47
- 5 Half Moon 3:15
- 6 Rabbit Will Run 5:31
- 7 Godless Brother in Love 3:50
- 8 Big Burned Hand 4:13
- 9 Glad Man Singing 4:39
- 10 Your Fake Name Is Good Enough for Me 7:00
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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