I thoroughly enjoyed Samuel Beam's style and artistry but the mix on the CD itself left something to be desired. I'm unsure if this was one of his "home mixed" recordings but the CD quality could use a little polish. (It was necessary to seriously tweak my settings to get the sound I wanted to hear.)However, the artist's style was very enjoyable and the lyrics held my interest with their message.
I will definitely check out some of his more recent works in search of a more enjoyable sound mix.

The best new artist in this sphere of music is Nick Worrall. Google him and get his debut album for FREE. Incredible.

Did I say metal, I meant indie. well personally I like this album very much. Listening to this calms the nerves and makes one think they're not quite on the same planet. I suppose one's mood might also factor in to that as well, but anyway this is great stuff.

The enigmatic Iron & Wine were recommended to me by a like-minded, holistically-oriented friend, and I now keep them in heavy rotation. Their music at once hypnotic, rejuvenating and energizing. It's easy to see why they have so many devotees. Take what you need each time you listen and savor the rest another time!

I own "Our Endless Numbered Days," "Woman King," and "The Creek Drank the Cradle." "OEND" is definitely my favorite.

Beam's style is minimalist in every way - minimal allegorical lyrics, minimal production, minimal photos, minimal graphics in the CD/sleeve, etc. But in "OEND" less is way better.

Iron and Wine was one of my best discoveries of 2007. Its difficult to describe how the music and words fit so well. Lets be honest; for most of the songs, its really impossible to tell exactly what's going on! A good example would be the lyric "there will be teeth in the grass." from the fifth track, "Teeth in the Grass." If someone out there can tell me what that means, leave me a comment! Nevertheless, primitive, raw feelings are conveyed, and although usually somber and at times melancholy, it all sounds and feels so good.

How can anyone not be moved by "OEND's" tracks 2, 3, 9, and especially 8 and 10?

I'll probably purchase the newer CD with "Boy with a Coin," which is another great Iron and Wine song. [2/14/08 UPDATE: I have purchased "The Shepherd's Dog." With the remarkable exception of "Boy With a Coin," this CD was a disappointment. Its way over-produced, wanders all over the place, and on a few tracks, sounds apallingly "POP." For me, perhaps, the expectations created by OEND were just too high to match.]

In music, we have our virtuosos, and geniuses, i.e., the Van Halens and Mozarts, who are technically superior.

Then we have the people who write music to which we long to listen, like Iron and Wine.