“Boy With a Coin“
from the album The Shepherd’s Dog
2007
iTunes
Bearded nu-folk hero Sam Beam is giving fans something to smile about with his “Boy With a Coin” single, a preview of next month’s The Shepard’s Dog. This will be Iron & Wine’s first official full-length since 2004’s Our Endless Days Are Numbered album, and if the single indicates the path of the rest of the album, The Shepard’s Dog will not disappoint.
“Boy With a Coin” is an aurally pleasing mix of new sounds and instruments, and Sam Beam seems to be taking the Paul Simon-paved path to musical exploration of slightly exotic traditions as only non-traditional American folk can. He doesn’t go all out on the songs presented here, but we’ll have to wait for the album release to see where he’s going. A stand-out single, “Boy With a Coin” incorporates a faintly African-style guitar picking melody over the combination of complimenting fast-paced hand claps and percussion, while the magnetic voice of Beam floats and bends along with the slide guitar.
The sound of Iron & Wine seems to evolve with each album, and maybe the three-year gap since the last success allowed for the exploration that is so evident on this slice of what’s to come.