Iron and Wine expands its sound
Sam Beam (otherwise known as Iron and Wine) has come a long way since he released a collection of lo-fi, bedroom-recorded songs as “The Creek Drank the Cradle” in 2002. “The Creek Drank the Cradle” felt like it was a piece out of time that could have been unearthed in a one room cabin from depression era Tennessee. With only Beam’s voice, guitar, and some tastefully plucked banjo, the album feels intimate and haunting. Critics embraced Iron and Wine’s debut album exactly because the faded, dust bowl feel of the recording gave the hushed, finger-picked ballads an extra dimension of charm. Since then Beam has gradually embraced a cleaner studio sound and has gradually been adding to his stable of backing musicians. In 2005 he recorded In the “Reins with Calexico” and the once whispery, gothic folk blossomed into sweeping country ballads with pedal steel guitars and pop anthems with full rhythm sections. In Iron and Wine’s latest full length, “The Shepherd’s Dog,” Beam not only embraces a full band sound but dabbles in several different genres, transforming his modest folk compositions into studies of Reggae-lite and African rhythms. These songs not only feature a variety of musical styles, but are propelled forward with a kind clattering percussion only experimented with on the Woman King EP. The end result is a unique mix of obscure Americana dragged through various world music influences. Think of it as that dude who just got back from hitchhiking through Europe all summer. He’s still wearing the hemp necklace and Bob Marley T-shirt he got at the hippie fair in France, and he won’t stop talking about Kafka, but underneath it all he still loves to blast Neil Young when no one else is around. Up to this point Iron and Wine is probably best known for the cover of “Such Great Heights,” featured in an M&M’s commercial, but for anyone looking for a convenient starting point, you could do worse than “The Shepherd’s Dog.” Those longing for another gorgeous spare ballad like “Trapeze Swinger” from last years iTunes exclusive EP won’t be disappointed either since “Resurrection Fern” is easily one of the most beautiful songs Iron and Wine has produced yet. “The Shepherd’s Dog” is wonderfully layered and the recording is lush, giving the full breadth of instrumentation room to breathe. Sam Beam may have moved on from his early days of recording in his bedroom, but the same spirit of earthy wisdom lives on.-chase.thompson@aggiemail.usu.edu