After becoming massively popular with his brand of idiosyncratic indie folk, Sam Beam and his outfit Iron & Wine have been stretching out musically in recent years, culminating in their jazz-inflected, labored 2011 album Kiss Each Other Clean. Those jazz influences carry over to Beam and Co.’s latest release, Ghost On Ghost, but this time tempers the self-seriousness with a dash of SoCal AM soft rock, along with a myriad of other styles Beam indulges himself in, seemingly throwing things against the wall to see what sticks. And while this makes for a decidedly hit and miss affair, Ghost On Ghost is at least a lighter, more immediate record than its predecessor.
“Caught In The Briars” starts the record with a couple of false starts, an electronic drum loop leading into a horn driven section reminiscent of Van Morrison style Celtic soul, before finally settling in as a pleasantly driving, summery folk tune, replete with images of naked boys rolling around with girls in the grass. The feel carries over on first single “Grace For Saints And Ramblers,” the most immediately memorable song here, a joyous slice of AM gold, complete with Fender Rhodes piano, with more lyrics detailing an idyllic summer day, a theme that runs throughout Ghost On Ghost. The rest of the record’s strongest songs work within this framework, tunes like “The Desert Babbler” and “New Mexico’s No Breeze” demonstrating how much Beam has really mastered evoking the classic sounds of 70s soft rock.
It’s when Beam reaches too far, particularly in his jazzier efforts, that Ghost On Ghost falters. “Joy” is rather joyless despite its title, a dirge that throws a wrench in the record’s pretty strong opening momentum. “Lovers’ Revolution,” while an admirably sincere attempt to really incorporate jazz and meld it with Beam’s signatures, comes off as overblown and awkward, especially in the instrumental breakdown, where an all out free form freakout commences before awkwardly landing back into the tune proper. And Beam’s voice, while always a pretty and pure tenor, isn’t up to the task of demonstrating the grit required of any jazz vocalist worth his or her salt.
Ghost On Ghost closes with “Baby Center Stage,” a welcome exercise in Eagles-esque country rock, complete with aching pedal steel guitar and mournful piano. It’s a perfectly pleasant tune, and Ghost On Ghost is a perfectly pleasant record. That may sound like damning with faint praise, but when Beam’s ambition outweighs his ability, Ghost On Ghost falters, and the simpler, upbeat tunes stand out even more. A strangely schizophrenic record, but appropriate and welcome listening as spring starts to settle in, the light, summery feel of half the record providing a perfect soundtrack for a nice afternoon drive with the windows down.
Grade: B-
Grade: B-
