The Shepherd's Dog
Iron & Wine
View More by this ArtistOpen iTunes to preview, buy, and download music.
| Name | Artist | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1
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Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car | Iron & Wine | 4:32 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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2
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White Tooth Man | Iron & Wine | 3:57 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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3
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Lovesong of the Buzzard | Iron & Wine | 4:26 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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4
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Carousel | Iron & Wine | 4:02 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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5
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House By the Sea | Iron & Wine | 4:21 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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6
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Innocent Bones | Iron & Wine | 3:42 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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7
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Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog) | Iron & Wine | 4:57 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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8
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Resurrection Fern | Iron & Wine | 4:49 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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9
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Boy With a Coin | Iron & Wine | 4:05 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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10
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The Devil Never Sleeps | Iron & Wine | 2:06 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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11
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Peace Beneath the City | Iron & Wine | 4:45 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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12
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Flightless Bird, American Mouth | Iron & Wine | 4:03 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
| Total: 12 Songs |
iTunes Review
For album number three, the Florida to Texas indie-folk star Sam Beam, AKA Iron and Wine, decided to forego the quiet acoustic desperation of 2004’s Our Endless Numbered Days and strike up the band. It’s slightly less satisfying since much of Beam’s appeal has been his soothing, reassuring voice and the luminous melodies he creates with his careful harmonies. They’re still here — and best represented with the acoustic and pedal-steel laced “Resurrection Fern” and “Flightless Bird, American Mouth” — but they're a bit buried beneath arrangements that makes things unusually festive for such a melancholy soul. That’s barroom piano kicking throughout “The Devil Never Sleeps” and strong metal percussion raining down on “Innocent Bones.” “Carousel” uses a vocoder to distort Beam’s voice and “Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car” sounds like Beam sent the band to the junkyard to find their groove. Quiet psychedelic guitar shades “Peace Beneath the City” and “Wolves (Song of the Shepherd’s Dog)” has an atmospheric groove that borders on ambient. Beam took great chances with this album. His natural strengths are slightly obscured and take a little extra time to make themselves felt.
Customer Reviews
Better than Cheerios and chocolate milk.
I used to write reviews, but I quit, because I thought, "Eh. What's the point?" But for this album, I'm back to do another.
And what possesses me to do this, you may be wondering? The greatness of this album, The Shepher's Dog, is what brings me back.
I was a huge Iron & Wine fan since the beginning. Since Mr. Beam was a small time guy who produced a few songs on 4 tracks in his garage. My friends made fun of me. But I connected with it. Sam then moved on to a slightly more produced sound with Our Endless Numbered Days in '04, which was awesome, but still very "homey" feeling. It was still hushed and quiet, dark and beautiful.
Then, all awesomeness burst forth with The Woman King-EP and the Calexico In The Reins-EP. He was mixing it up. It stayed creative and earthy but was richer and at times, quite a bit groovier. I had hoped that Iron & Wine would move in the directions of these EP's, and when I listened to this album (it came out today, and I've listened to it 4 times through), I was blown away. Here's why.
The single, "Boy With a Coin" is incredibly rhythmic, which incredibly creative use of guitars, claps, and various percussion. The lyrics are something to sit down and think about, deep and thoughtful without being pretentious. It's impossible not to love this song right off.
"House By the Sea" is another great showcase of Iron & Wine's ingenious use of instrumentals. I'm listening to it right now. What is that, a didgeridoo? A saxophone? An electric guitar? Congas? It's so layered, a mess of strange sounds that works together so beautifully. How is such weirdness so accessible to the casual listener? That is the magic of this album.
"Resurrection Fern" is another beauty, in the same mode as Naked As We Came or Upward Over the Mountain. Obviously, it's very different, but has the same sort of appeal. All of this stuff is wrought with skillful imagery and religious themes like southern gothic literature. This stuff is the soundtrack to Faulkner or Flannery O'Connor stories.
"Flighless Bird, American Mouth" is sad and incredibly beautiful, like "16, Maybe Less" sort of, minus the slide guitar.
Really, all of the songs are great. It's a solid album, but I don't have the space to write about all of them. This album meets and surpasses the high expectations I had for it.
Takes a bit of getting used to...
Great album, very different from the classic "Creek Drank the Cradle" and my favorite "Endless Numbered Days", more akin to "Woman King EP" which I liked very much. Fans do not be scared off--give it a few listens, and you will realize that Iron and Wine are still on top of their game. Favorites are "Pagan Angel", "Carousel", "Resurrection Fern", and the beautiful "Flightless Bird, American Mouth". Enjoy!
Im A Fat House Cat
This is just pure - Original, Amazing, Beauty, Smoothing & Awsomeness.Influenced me to paint my bedroom
Biography
Born: Columbia, SC
Genre: Alternative
Years Active: '00s
Top Albums and Songs by Iron & Wine
| Name | Album | Time | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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1
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Such Great Heights | Such Great Heights - EP | 4:10 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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2
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Flightless Bird, American Mouth | The Shepherd's Dog | 4:03 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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3
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Naked As We Came | Our Endless Numbered Days | 2:32 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
4
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Boy With a Coin | The Shepherd's Dog | 4:05 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
5
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Love and Some Verses | Our Endless Numbered Days | 3:40 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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6
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He Lays In the Reins | In the Reins - EP | 3:43 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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7
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Jezebel | Woman King - EP | 5:07 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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8
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Freedom Hangs Like Heaven | Woman King - EP | 4:00 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
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9
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The Sea and the Rhythm | The Sea & the Rhythm - EP | 5:23 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
|
10
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History of Lovers | In the Reins - EP | 3:09 | $0.99 | View In iTunes |
- $9.99
- Genres: Alternative, Music, Singer/Songwriter, Indie Rock
- Released: Sep 25, 2007
- ℗ 2007 Sub Pop Records
