Album Review: Walking Far From Home EP, Iron And Wine

3/5




By: Captain Pownzor

When I started to listen to the new Iron and wine EP Walking Far From Home from the very first track I was sort of taken aback. This is certainly not the lo-fi folk I have associated with the name at all. It really is walking far out of the Iron and Wine comfort zone.

Shepherds’ Dog had its share of layering and complexity to its songs as compared to the bands earlier hits like “Naked As We Came and Such Great Heights.” This EP however has branched out even further incorporating a more full sound from the traditional Iron and Wine’s whispy vocals and folkie guitars.

The title track starts with some crazy organ effects ringing like a gospel choir in church and turns into a song in an almost Broken Social Scene sort of style. Full voices twinkling chimes and a very different entity and the makings of what could be a interesting turn for Iron and Wine.

Summer in Savanah is not the strongest track on the EP, Its sort of a funky. With a persistent bassline throughout almost like a police song reborn. Somehow this song is catchy in its own right with a hook and attitude to the vocal styling and less of a folkie feel.

Biting Your Tail starts off with some weird sound effects samples and turns into a feel good clap along. This could be radio song! Not many iron and wine songs would go on popular music radio and this is certainly one of the first.

Overall this EP is a fairly big change to the Iron and Wine Style. Shepherd’s Dog Eluded that maybe a change like this was coming, but now that I have heard some of these new tracks I am interested to hear what is going to happen on the next feature length. Hopefully the Iron and Wine we know and love from The Creek Drank the Cradle isn’t dead yet though.