Samuel Beam, the folksy singer-songwriter behind Iron And Wine, has never shied away from building off-kilter and interesting ideas around his contemporary brand of Americana. His fifth studio album Ghost on Ghost is no exception. However, where this record differs from his latest run of releases is that it feels more much relaxed. Beam sounds much more at ease with himself and his songwriting, and although this means the gritty, introverted, intensity of past material isn’t present, in its place lies a much more fluid, freewheeling and dare I say fun experience from a musician who’s clearly been making every experience count.
The core of the album’s instrumentation dosent stray too far from the path Iron And Wine has established over the years, but Ghost on Ghost is quite easily the glossiest, slickest and most well-produced effort in Beam’s current discography. There is a strong influence of jazz, blues and folk music from yesteryear — the album glistens with a loving ’70s sheen from start to finish. But rather than take a heavy-handed approach to applying his apparent influences, the overall execution on the record is delivered with grace, precision and tact. Guitars play wonderfully alongside keyboards, sweeping strings add a sense of romanticism whilst Beam’s robust use of brass and strings give the album the kind of richness and warmth that the name Iron And Wine suggests.
Despite being a very hearty and healthy sounding record, it’s also an incredibly fun one. Tracks like “Caught In The Briars,” spiritual reprise “Sundown” and “The Desert Babbler” are bonafide pop gems built from authentic sounds and heightened by Beam’s smooth vocal melodies. It could be argued that both the instrumentation and vocal contributions (both separately and combined) from Beam have never sounded better.
The more free-form and relaxed nature of this record has the potential to lose some people along the way, particularly those who found themselves deeply embedded in Beam’s previous releases. But by continuing to expand his repertoire, challenge himself and broaden his horizons, Iron And Wine continues to impress and inspire. The fact that the outcome of his growth and expansion has provided such an appealing and loveable record is merely a bonus, albeit it a truly wonderful one.
