Iron And Wine Beaming With Fun On New Record

03/08/07 7:30pm

by Antoinette Mercurio (CHARTattack)

Unlike some overzealous musicians who never leave the studio, Iron And Wine frontman Sam Beam enjoyed his time off by having fun raising his daughter, going on tour with Calexico and recording a new album just for kicks.

The singer/songwriter just finished recording his third studio album, The Shepherd's Dog, a full three years after 2004's Our Endless Numbered Days. But he'll waste no time in embarking on a two-month North American and European tour once the 12-track Sub Pop disc hits store shelves in late September.

Beam told Billboard.com that the new album has a "wider sonic palette" than previous releases. "There's some waltzes, reggae-influenced stuff and some straight-up West African highlife music," he said.

A single likely featuring "Boy With A Coin" and two of the four songs recorded for the album that didn't make the cut will likely be released in the summer.

"It's got an African-sounding guitar thing," Beam said of the song. "It's kind of familiar, but at the same time pretty indicative of the playfulness of this new record."

Beam's playfulness can be attributed to his time spent on tour with Calexico, whose Joey Burns and Paul Niehaus appear on The Shepherd's Dog. He said they influenced him a lot and made him want to make a "much freer record." Tin Hat Trio accordionist Rob Burger and Califone's Brian Deck also pushed Beam to incorporate a broader range of sounds.

Here are the tracks on The Shepherd's Dog:

"Pagan Angel And A Borrowed Car"
"White Tooth Man"
"Lovesong Of The Buzzard"
"Carousel"
"House By The Sea"
"Innocent Bones"
"Wolves (Song Of The Shepherd's Dog)"
"Resurrection Fern"
"Boy With A Coin"
"The Devil Never Sleeps"
"Peace Beneath The City"
"Flightless Bird, American Mouth"