Iron & Wine’s Sam Beam and Band of Horses’ Ben Bridwell have reunited for a new covers EP, Making Good Time, arriving on September 12. Previewing it today is a surprising yet lovely rendition of Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s ‘Luther’. Check it out below.
Beam and Bridwell laid down Making Good Time earlier this year in North Carolina with producer Brad Cook. It also features covers of songs by U2, Foreigner, Roxy Music, and boygenius.
“Working with Sam again feels like a homecoming in so many ways,” Bridwell shared. “To circle back ten years after Sing Into My Mouth and expand the project is a wonderful dream relived.” He continued:
I chose to focus on ‘Luther’ after kinda hitting a wall wondering which songs would be best to contribute. After much hand-wringing, it hit me, “Why not just do my favorite song?” I’d been playing the then newly released GNX album on repeat and that song in particular with my girls to the point of exhaustion.
About a week later, Kendrick strangled the game at the Super Bowl and ‘Luther’ would soon become a number 1 hit for so many weeks. Seems a little late now to share this as it’s been many months since recording it, but I knew that damn song was headed for big things. Praying we did some justice.
