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Iron and Wine

post #1 of 5
10/10/07 at 8:01pm
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I'm really crappy at articulating what I like about music, so you'll have to bear with me, but I'm really digging the new album, The Shepherd's Dog. There may be an intimacy that's lost with Sam's movement from the stripped down production of previous albums to the more expansive soundscapes of this album, the Woman King EP and his work with Calexico, but I think the new album is the best blend so far of the old and the new. "Resurrection Fern" and "Boy with a Coin," back-to-back, are a wonderful example of the two styles coming together.

Like a lot of people I first heard of I&W with the cover of "Such Great Heights," but I've gobbled up every album and EP and have discovered a wealth of great material. There's an amorphous, singular quality about it that seems to speak to a specific time and place. Great stuff.

Any other fans?
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post #2 of 5
10/10/07 at 9:16pm
Yeah, I'm a big fan of The Creek Drank the Cradle, Endless Numbered Days, and the EP with Calexico, but I'm not really into the direction Sam Beam is getting into with Woman King and The Shepherd's Dog.

I think the music and lyrics are pretty well done on these last two discs, but it seems like Iron and Wine might be turning into a more psychedlic/jam band outfit. I'm all for the additional instruments, as they can add quite a bit to the songs (check out recent live recordings of the old songs - they sound great with a full band), but the jam band vibe is making me a little bummed out.

By the way, for anyone else that's a fan of Iron and Wine's first two albums, check out Band of Horse's latest CD, Cease to Begin. It came out yesterday, and I think it's a solid release from beginning to end.
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post #3 of 5
10/10/07 at 10:31pm
I saw Iron and Wine live two weeks ago...there wasn't really a thing "jam band-y" about the performance. I think I'd lose my love if Beam went that direction.

I LOVE the new cd, and the performance was even better. Consider me excited for the future.

Out of curiosity, how do you separate the Iron and Wine/Calexico EP from Woman King and The Shepherd's Dog? To me, they're all part of the same musical spectrum, particularly given the presence of some members of Calexico on The Shepherd's Dog.
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post #4 of 5
10/11/07 at 10:59pm
Quote:
Out of curiosity, how do you separate the Iron and Wine/Calexico EP from Woman King and The Shepherd's Dog? To me, they're all part of the same musical spectrum, particularly given the presence of some members of Calexico on The Shepherd's Dog.
Don't get me wrong, there's a couple of great songs on the new album, but the song structures tend to remind me more of Phish then the old school Iron and Wine which was stripped down, and very melodic.

The Iron and Wine/Calexico EP reminded me a lot more of The Creek Drank the Cradle with a full band backing Sam Beam. Woman King and The Sheperd's Dog sound like Sam Beam is trying to be a lot more experimental, which isn't a bad thing. I just find myself to be more of a fan of his early material.
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post #5 of 5
10/13/07 at 4:55am
Count me for one who thinks the later stuff is much more interesting... with Shepherd's Dog being my favorite yet.
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