Iron & Wine - Ghost On Ghost + Bonus Tracks [Japan CD] BGJ-10172 | Limited Edition Import | Perfect for Vinyl Collectors & Indie Music Fans

Iron and Wine have been nothing less than captivating all throughout their discography. It's often surprising that one man (with the occasional accompaniment of his family members and various other musicians) can pull off writing songs and creating albums as beautiful as he has. "The Creek Drank The Cradle" was the quiet yet sweet debut, "Our Endless Numbered Days" was the flawless second acoustic effort (and my personal favorite), "The Shepherd's Dog" was an unforeseen step into experimental territory and one hell of an album, "Kiss Each Other Clean" was a little underwhelming after the excellence of "Shepherd's Dog" but at the same time, slightly more jazzy and focused and still a great effort, and for Sam Beam's fifth LP, we get "Ghost on Ghost", which I have to say is his most complex work yet. Here, he indulges further with the jazz sound, especially on songs like "Lovers' Revolution" and "Singers and the Endless Song", but what is most present is the sunniness and relaxed sound that most of the songs have. In fact, this album is most directly related to "Our Endless Numbered Days" for that reason. Sure, it's not subtle and acoustic, but it's just as gorgeous. Songs like "Caught in the Briars", "Joy", "Low Light Buddy of Mine", "New Mexico's No Breeze", and "Baby Center Stage" are just a few of the standouts on here, all layered with Sam's usual, sometimes rambly poetry (since "Shepherd's Dog", that has become his lyrical style), and wonderful music to wrap it up in a nice little package.I felt I needed to get my two cents out about this album because there are far too many low ratings for such a great album. Yes, "Ghost on Ghost" is a great album. It's not an instant classic like "Our Endless Numbered Days" or "The Shepherd's Dog", but it's pretty close in my opinion. No matter what musical style Sam tries out, I'll always be listening and enjoying what he has to offer. My advice for anyone who is skeptical about picking up this album: if you liked any other Iron and Wine albums, give this one a spin. Don't listen to the negative reviewers on here, and don't listen to the critics. Just decide for yourself whether or not you like it. Keep an open mind and I'm sure you'll find it to be an enjoyable listen that you'll keep returning to time and time again.