Ghost On Ghost

I am thoroughly enjoying this album and Sam Beam's creative progression. In fact, I enjoy and own all of Iron & Wine's studio albums. Why are the critics so obsessed with the sound of TCDTC and OEND like it's the only flavor he is allowed to try? It's all brilliant and honest. He's not selling out--he is maturing as an artist.

This whole album feels like one, big, beautiful story. I honestly can't just listen to one of the songs on it- I have to play the whole thing or nothing at all. It almost feels like Sam is the narrator for this story, and it's absolutely beautiful. That instrumental break in Lovers' Revolution is purely phenomenal, and I can.'to get enough. Rock on, Mr. Beam.

My new favorite!

yes, every artist has the right to experiment with his work, to change, to evolve. but i am also tired of fans who say 'if you are a true fan and liked his old stuff, you should automatically like his new stuff.' why? when an artist either doesn't understand his audience and the subjective experience his art provides--or doesn't care--and alters the work to the point of no longer providing that experience, then one can't expect that the audience will continue listening. and just as creative evolution is the artist's right, the audience's individual subjective experience is also a right. if what drew me to the artist originally, and what i appreciated in the previous work, is no longer present, why should i continue to listen? i enjoy many diverse musical styles. i am quite capable of deciding what i like, what i need from the art i enjoy, and why. what drew me to iron and wine was the raw, earthy purity and deceptive simplicity of the music. the thoughtful lyrics and themes struck a chord, and the composition provided the perfect aesthetic emotion and catharsis. this was truly unique music. i find these latest departures, while both fine albums in their own right, and examples of quality musicianship, to be lacking those qualities and decidedly less organic and unique in sound. it's very difficult for me to find anything to enjoy about this album. i'm not opposed to this style of music, but it's not why i have come to love iron and wine over the years, and it is not, imho, what he/they can best offer the music world.

I love this album. It has the best aspects of music from the seventies while remaining absolutely modern. Great!

I didn't care for kiss each other clean. Maybe I'm more partial to the jazzier sound on this one, but it I think it suits his song-writing style much better. This album feels more focused without sounding overdone.

I understand the need to grow as an artist and to not write the same songs again and again but this album has NOTHING about it that made me fall in love with iron and wine to begin with. Seeing him live last night in Nashville was amazing...when he played older songs. I felt like I had to suffer through the new songs just to hear the old material in the middle of the set (which he thankfully did play) or I would have felt so ripped off. I wanted to love this album but it just isn't even likeable in the least. It was seriously like watching hours and hours of David Lettermans band. I hope Sam returns to his roots eventually because he is losing a lot of fans on this experimental kick.

I loved Iron & Wine. Saw Sam Beam multiple times in concert in small venues and they were some of the best shows I've seen. I understand that he wants his sound to evolve, but this is evolving into the same crap you hear constantly on the radio- the kind of crap that made me go looking for sounds like Iron & Wine in the first place.

Never comment on reviews but,..... the second paragraph of the review with the title "The big band just isn't working" is so brilliant and dead on I want to work with person writing songs weather they are a musician or not.

Yes, it's different. If you want "Our Endless Numbered Days" go and play that album - this is something both new and familiar at the same time. It's beautiful, glinting like sun off the lake on a warm summer's night. I hear echoes of Fleetwood Mac, Don McLean, and a little Tom Waits all blending with Sam Beam's special blend of elegant folk-pop. One of this year's favorites for me!