On April 15th, Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam and California singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop will put out their collaborative album Love Letter for Fire. In anticipation, the Sub Pop release is streaming in full below courtesy of NPR.com.
The new album spans 13 duets and was recorded in Portland, Oregon with producer Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, Modest Mouse). Joining Beam and Hoop is a handful of special guests, including Wilco’s Glenn Kotche and frequent Iron & Wine collaborator Robert Burger.
While Beam is no stranger to collaborations (last year alone he worked with both Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell and Glen Hansard), the forthcoming LP marks the first time he’s shared songwriting responsibilities. In a press release, he explained how the idea for a duets album came about:
“Some of my favorite songs are duets, because the narrative is expanded. It’s not just a monologue. It’s a conversation, and so it gets complicated. I had melodies over the years that I’d been compiling that I thought, this sounds like a classic Kenny and Dolly, ‘Islands in the Stream’ kind of thing, or George and Tammy”.
Love Letter for Fire is preceded by “Every Songbird Says” and “Valley Clouds”.
Pre-order a copy here.
Love Letter for Fire Tracklist:
01. Welcome to Feeling
02. One Way to Pray
03. The Lamb You Lost
04. We Two are a Moon
05. Midas Tongue
06. Know the Wild That Wants You
07. Every Songbird Says
08. Bright Lights and Goodbyes
09. Kiss Me Quick
10. Chalk it Up to Chi
11. Valley Clouds
12. Soft Place to Land
13. Sailor to Siren
