Beast Epic is Iron & Wine’s first album in four years and it finds the 43-year-old Sam Beam taking a step back and stripping away the high production values of the past few albums for a more intimate affair with a small group, recorded mostly live. The result is an album with rich acoustic arrangements, autumnal melodies alongside Beam’s whispered vocals, and themes of religion and nature. Album highlights include: the lead single. “Call It Dreaming”; the tender “Right for Sky”; the sad love song “Summer Clouds”; the catchy country tinged ballad “Bitter Truth”; and the Van Morrison-esque “Song in Stone.” Beast Epic showcases an older, wiser singer/songwriter in Sam Beam and another solid album in his discography. – Written by JFelton
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