Monday, October 15, 2007

Iron and Wine: The Shepherd's Dog

The Shepherd's Dog is the third studio album from Sam Beam's Iron and Wine. It was released on September 25, 2007 and is being considered a great step forward for Iron and Wine. Not only has it received a lot of attention, it has even sold a decent amount of copies. And deservedly so. The album is a fantastic collection of folk-rock songs.


The amount of detail in the music and instrumental progression is what struck me most about this album. You really have to listen carefully to take it all in and gain a full appreciation for what Beam has to offer on The Shepherd's Dog. At the same time, Beam's vocals should not be understated. To do so would be wrong. His voice is smooth and soothing and complements the nature of the songs very well.

I think The Shepherd's Dog is one of those albums that you admire and value more and more with every listen. At least, that has been my experience. The first single, 'Boy With A Coin' was released quite some time ago on July 10, 2007. Other stand out tracks include, 'Carousel' and 'Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog).' As for track #5, 'House By The Sea,' well, nobody should be without hearing this song! I absolutely love it.

Some advice: if you like what you hear, I would consider either ordering the album off of Iron and Wine's label, Sub Pop or actually, dare I say it, going to a record shop and picking up a copy. This is because the album comes with a bonus disc with two unreleased songs called 'Arms of a Thief' and 'Serpent Charmer.' So if you're the kind of person who needs to have every song available by an artist, such as myself, no downloading off iTunes for this one.

MySpace: Iron and Wine
Iron and Wine: Official Website

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