Iron and Wine makes its Nonesuch Records debut with Ghost on Ghost. Ghost on Ghost is the fifth release from singer-songwriter Sam Beam, using the pen name Iron and Wine. The album was produced by Beam's longtime associate Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Califone, Fruit Bats) and follows 2011's Kiss Each Other Clean.

Rolling Stone said of Kiss Each Other Clean that "pop music hadn't seen anything like it since the heyday of Cat Stevens," while Pitchfork said it "more closely resembles the lush, gold-toned singer songwriter records of the late 60s and early 70s Astral Weeks, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road."

For Ghost on Ghost, Beam sought to move from what he called the "anxious tension" of his two previous records. "This record felt like a reward to myself after the way I went about making the last few," he says.

Helping achieve Beam's vision was a group of stellar musicians including Rob Burger, Steve Bernstein, Brian Blade, Curtis Fowlkes, Tony Garnier, Marika Hughes, Briggan Kraus, Maxim Moston, Tony Scherr, Doug Wieselman, Kenny Wolleson, and Anja Wood. Burger (Tin Hat Trio) has worked with Beam intermittently through the years and handled arrangements for strings and horns on Ghost on Ghost. For the album's cover, Beam, who is also a visual artist, chose an image from the series Private Views by noted photographer Barbara Crane.

1. Caught In The Briars
2. The Desert Babbler
3. Joy
4. Low Light Buddy Of Mine
5. Grace For Saints And Ramblers
6. Grass Widows
7. Singers And The Endless Song
8. Sundown (Back In The Briars)
9. Winter Prayers
10. New Mexico's No Breeze
11. Lovers' Revolution
12. Baby Center Stage

CD
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BI6SSMC/?tag=imwan-20

MP3
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C4SUEJI/?tag=imwan-20

Vinyl
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BI6SVCE/?tag=imwan-20

"Grace for Saints and Ramblers"

The album is currently streaming in its entirety via NPR.

http://www.npr.org/2013/04/07/176046723 ... t-on-ghost

Got this yesterday. Highly recommended. I thought he was getting a little off track on the last album, but this one rings true. He's evolving, but in a good way.

Good to hear Greg, I thought the same thing about the last album.

Rick A.

Me too. I wasn't going to get this but now, with the recommendation above, I think I will check it out.

I am a big fan of "Endless Numbered Days" and his double cd b-sides collection.

Endless Numbered Days is probably my favorite, too. The Shepherd's Dog wasn't as consistent, but had a lot to recommend it. I agree, the odds and ends collection, Around the Well, is realy good as well. The new one has a more polished sound that Endless Numbered Days, but I think the quality of the songwriting is similar, and the experimental feel of Kiss Each Other Clean (the most recent) is mostly reigned in.

I wasn't sure I was going to pick up the new one, either, but I'm glad I did.

I'd say this is easily Beam's most commercial release yet. Jazzy, soft rock- I read a review comparing some tracks to an "indie Seals & Crofts". The album is definitely better than his previous couple records though my favorites are still "Our Endless Numbered Days" and the "Woman King" EP.

I know I'm late to the party but I made a rare stop by the local FYE today and they were playing this. I really liked what I heard and it was nice to have a "what album is that?" moment with the store clerk. I thought those days were over.

I really like this album as well, I have afew of their titles and this one is fast becoming my fave. The vocal harmony arrangements are so excellent. Much work was put into this recording.

Rick A.