Samuel Beam has been making records under the Iron & Wine moniker since 2002, specialising in lo-fi, hushed, folksy acoustic storytelling, but 2007?s The Shepherd?s Dog?s full band and upbeat tempos opened a new chapter.
It was difficult to categorise (if indeed you desire the ordered world of categorisation) and took sounds from different places musically and geographically. Its skill wasn?t in its courage for plucking ideas from far-flung corners but in the casualness with which it carried it out.
It doesn't scream its influences in your face, Albarn-like. Instead it found the thread that runs through folk music regardless of its origin. You might spot calypso, west African, or dub if you listened out for it but you'd probably just hear infectious songs sung with a gentle lilt.