Iron & Wine is like , as Aaron has said, “the vodka of indie music” - they mix well with everything. Their recent collaboration with Calexico could and should be the start of a long and fruitful Santana-like career in teaming up with other talented artists. We postulate that almost any cooperative team that Sam Beam is involved in will sound great. Here are a few suggestions.

Iron & Wine and Aesop Rock Bearded troubadour of folk, meet the bearded troubadour of rap. This could be a Gorillaz-type collaboration, with Sam Beam contributing the choruses and some gentle guitar hooks over Aesop-programmed beats. Album title: Our Endless Labor Days (or alternately, Bazooka Teeth In The Grass) Song title: Lucy the Mexican Girl

Iron & Wine and The Unicorns The late, great, gay pop band would lend an upbeat, synthy edge to Beam’s songs, and magnify his already slightly morbid lyrics to a Dawn of the Dead degree. Album title: Who Will Cut Our Beards When We’re Gone? Song title: I Don’t Wanna Die Inside These Arms

Iron & Wine and Sufjan Stevens Fellow folk phenom Sufjan Stevens would inject a more orchestral feel and quite possibly some dueling banjo. The ensuing tour would be of a Jay-Z & R. Kelly magnitude. Album title: Our Endless Numbered Swans Song title: The Black Hawk Radio War

Iron & Wine and Death From Above 1979 The addition of loud and mosh-worthy DFA1979 (the pit at Intonation was incredible) to Sam Beam’s sleepy jams would make music that you could simultaneously fall asleep and rock out to. Concertgoers would begin sleepmoshing, which would in turn lead to the classification of the group as a dangerous intoxicant. Album title: You’re A Woman King, I’m A Machine Song title: Naked As We Get Down

Iron & Wine and Arcade Fire The Canadian supergroup would lend an epic touch to Beam’s acoustic stylings. Lyrically, expect some post-apocalyptic snuggling and teeth in some Haitian grass. Album title: The Sea and the Funeral Song title: Neighborhood #5 (Sodom, South Georgia)

Iron & Wine and the Fiery Furnaces The Furnaces would likely take five or six Iron & Wine songs and combine them into one superlong and confusing song with a tenuous narrative arc. Throw in some techno glitches, wanky guitar solos and some pirates, and you have an EP. Album title: The Creek Drank The Blueberry Boat Song title: Free In My Paw Paw Tree Until They Cut Me Down