The Shepherd's Dog - Iron & Wine Album Review

Iron & Wine

Album Review

Bearded Sam Beam ( Iron and Wine ) has made two smart moves. Leaving behind his bedroom recording methods. The other, moving from Florida to Texas and advancing his overall sound with the help of other musicians, notably Joey Burns and Paul Niehaus of Calexico has made his music more expansive and diverse. Sheppperd's Dog is his third album, and second studio proper. Instead of, as he did on debut The Creek Drank The Cradle, where he did almost everything, he's moved on significantly with his latest offering. Musically, he's considered to be an alt-country, progressive folk, or indie folk artist. Whatever the tag, he's a troubadour in the truest sense of the word. Lyrically, he draws on the Southern Gothic model, so that inevitably sets him apart from his counterparts like Micha P.Hinson and Devendra Banhart.

He brings it on with wholesome chugger Pagan Angel....with pounding beats and sounds galore ghosting in the background as his hushed singing floats along. You need to listen deeply to hear what's going on here as the instruments ( piano, violin ) are not as obvious as you'd think, because of the imense, almost tribal beat. Again, the thrusting beat of White Tooth Man covers a multitude of psychedelic instrumentation, though this possesses a exquisite Eastern flovour. Then come two radio friendly gems - Love Song Of The Buzzard, a niffty beat and guitar flitting gently to the beat and cool basslines, oh and a touch of Hammond organ and steel guitar,for good measure. This followed by one of the highlights, the gorgeously dreamy Carousel that features distorted vocals by Beam, with some of the best melody you ever hear right now.

House By The Sea, clatters along, turning out to be probably the bussiest songs, in a kind of Devendra Banhart template. More delights happen on the lush arrrangement of Innocent Bones a gliding beauty of mellow tunefulness : single in the making. Further in the deceptive slow piano intro hides the percussion heavy and rustic blast of The Devils Never Sleeps, with the boogie - woogie piano style carrying it to the end. Flightless Bird, American Mouth with its gentle sway and full-on melodies seals a magnificent album.

Every album needs a jewel in the crown, here it's Resurrection Fern a lazy pedal steel delight with beam's penchant hushed vocals giving it an etheral texture.

Elly Roberts