Fine Wine

hen I think of Iron and Wine, the first thing that comes to mind is sleep. That's because Sam Beam's whispery falsetto and lo-fi folk so beautifully lull me into just that. But The Shepherd's Dog is a new kind of Iron and Wine record. Iron and Wine is no longer a guy and a guitar, as a large cast of musicians now surround Beam. Shepherd's Dog is a continuation of a direction he started on with 2005's Woman King EP and 2005's In the Reins (his collaboration with roots rockers Calexico) -- toward a bigger, more diverse sound; and what he has created with this move is wonderful. \nShepherd's Dog is filled with a wide array of instrumentation and musical styles. This becomes apparent just 12 seconds in, as bass and drums surprisingly blast into "Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car" then continue with piano and violin filling in throughout this blistering opener. Then the album flows into the hectic "White Tooth Man," which sounds equal parts Eastern European, country and rock. Then Beam slides nicely into the steady twang of "Lovesong of the Buzzard," which fills out nicely with a careful mix of pedal steel, accordion and Hammond organ. \nMusically, Shepherd's Dog proves to be his most experimental outing to date. "Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog)" delves into dub-reggae with its last half exploring musical depths. "House by the Sea" is strangely danceable, with its West-African rhythm and catchy melody, as is "The Devil Never Sleeps," with its barroom piano and bluesy approach. Beam experiments with his vocals on "Carousel," in which he sings through a Leslie speaker connected to a Hammond organ, producing an underwater effect. \nHowever, Beam's voice does not lose its intimate spookiness, and Shepherd's Dog is proof that Beam can expand his horizons without losing what makes him so special. And for those who may be longing for the stripped-down folk of Beam's first two records, "Resurrection Fern" and "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" will sing you to sleep. \nShepherd's Dog is a display of an artist at the top of his game, putting forth his richest and most rewarding record to date.