The much-loved Iron and Wine, also known as multi-instrumentalist and producer Sam Beam, has released the third single from his brand new album, Hen’s Teeth. Released on 27th February 2026 via Sub Pop, this is the eighth full-length Iron and Wine album. The record is like a sibling to 2024’s GRAMMY-nominated Light Verse and has brought together material developed through many recording sessions in recent years with studio owner and engineer Dave Way (Jakob Dylan, Sheryl Crow). Amongst other guests, the GRAMMY-winning I’m With Her feature on two songs. The harmonising trio of voices, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan and Sara Watkins, add depth and grace to the tracks Robin’s Egg and Wait Up.
The album’s title, Hen’s Teeth, reflects the fact that it should not exist but was a happy accident arising from the joy of time spent with brilliantly talented contributors in a setting that inspired Beam to be creative. Beam states: “To me, it suggests the impossible. Hen’s teeth do not exist. And that’s what this record felt like: a gift that shouldn’t be there, but it is. An impossible thing, but it’s real.”
This single, Roses, is accompanied by a vibrant, inventive animation that follows the song’s theme. Directed and animated by Gaia Alari, the hand-drawn video follows two characters who chase each other through various, vivid locations, including a river, a forest and a garden in the sky. There’s a sense of playfulness in both the visual and Beam’s words. Lyrically, the song is full of abstract poetry and intriguing images and symbols: “Run into the one you love forever // Laugh into each other’s empty mouth… I can’t make // This easier // On you // When you’ve fallen face down in the garden // Roses say whatever comes to mind.”
Opening immediately with Beam’s vocal, Roses then introduces layers of instrumentation and adventurous sonic textures. Beam’s daughter, Arden, marks her recording debut on Hen’s Teeth, contributing harmonies and backing vocals on several songs, including Roses. Musically, the song shifts and grows and moves. Roses is a fine example of Beam’s songwriting, displaying subtlety, elegance and sensitivity. Immerse yourself in this musical beauty.
