Sam Beam, the visionary multi-instrumentalist behind Iron & Wine, has officially announced his eighth full-length album, Hen’s Teeth. Scheduled for release on February 27, 2026, via Sub Pop, the album acts as a spiritual sibling to 2024’s Grammy-nominated Light Verse. Alongside the announcement, Beam has shared the lead single and video, “In Your Ocean,” a sonically poignant track that explores the dissolution of boundaries between lovers. Directed by Spencer Kelly, the visual accompaniment underscores the song’s theme of physical and emotional merging, with Beam singing of drowning in a shared existence.
The record was born out of a series of spontaneous sessions in the Los Angeles foothills with engineer Dave Way. According to Beam, the title Hen’s Teeth—a phrase used for something that does not exist—reflects the “impossible” nature of the record’s creation. He describes the collection as a “happy accident” and a gift that emerged from the creative synergy of his longtime collaborators, including David Garza, Sebastian Steinberg, and Griffin Goldsmith.
“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.”
In a first for the project, the album features the recording debut of Beam’s daughter, Arden Beam, who provides harmonies on tracks such as “Roses” and “Defiance, Ohio.” The album also sees the return of the Grammy-winning Americana trio I’m With Her (Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, and Sara Watkins), whose vocal prowess elevates the ebullient “Robin’s Egg” and the mournful fan-favorite “Wait Up.”
To support the release, Iron & Wine will embark on an extensive world tour. The journey begins in late February 2026 with dates across Australia and New Zealand, followed by a headlining North American run through April and May (News of UK dates to follow). The tour will feature support from Improvement Movement at several stops, including a highly anticipated night at Brooklyn Steel on May 13.
Hen’s Teeth tracklist:
- Roses
- Paper and Stone
- Robin’s Egg (featuring I’m With Her)
- Singing Saw
- In Your Ocean
- Defiance, Ohio
- Wait Up (featuring I’m With Her)
- Grace Notes
- Dates and Dead People
- Half Measures
Pre-Order: https://music.subpop.com/ironandwine_hensteeth