Between the Grooves: Consume Iron and Wine

Tune in Thursday at 2pm for a mini orchestra session with Iron and Wine. You'll hear a clarinet, bass harmonica, mandolin, the blended voices Rosie Thomas AND Oscar-winner Marketa Irglova of the Swell Season and the movie Once, and of course, the whispered, yet increasingly commanding vocals of mastermind Sam Beam.

The sonic panoramas on Kiss Each Other Clean, colored by jazz, 70's rock and other unorthodox styles, enliven the mystery of Beam's scripture shorthand. Repeated listens reveal the rewards. 

And what a treat it will be to hear these lushly layered new songs come alive in a new setting.  Iron and Wine on Between the Grooves Thursday at 2pm on WTMD. 

CD of the Week: Intoxicating Iron and Wine

The clouds part and a heavenly chorus of winged Brian Wilsons float into your ears.

The fuzzed out sweet intensity of opening  track "Walking Far From Home" on WTMD's CD of the Week, Kiss Each Other Clean from Iron and Wine sets the tone for Sam Beam's expanded obsession with sonic experimentation that made his last album The Shepherd's Dog such a treat.

The second track, "Me & Lazarus" rolls along with a funky bass groove and a Kind of Blue-like sax, taking Beam's minimalist folk out for a late night crawl.

The other tracks combine out-of-tune whistles, female doo-woops, xylophones, electric pianos, and Beam's warm, multi-tracked voices for a warm, earthy 70's FM radio feel, a long way from Beam's  hushed, acoustic confessionals from those early Iron and Wine records.

Enjoy tracks from Kiss Each Other Clean all week on WTMD and catch Iron and Wine at Rams Head Live April 20th.