Iron & Wine | B+

Samuel Beam, now on his fourth outing as Iron & Wine, is continuing to develop as an artist in a way that can only reward his fans. Expanding and improving upon 2007's The Shepherd's Dog, Beam is showing us that he is far more than just another sensitive soul with an acoustic guitar; Kiss Each Other Clean is laden with saxophones, backing choirs and guitar solos. It's a rich tapestry of sound built around Beam's dulcet tones, which bring to mind both Band of Horses and Fleet Foxes.

Kiss Each Other Clean's joyous sound can be attributed not only to Beam's skill as a songwriter and vocalist, but also to the album's production. This is especially evident on "Rabbit Will Run," whose five and a half minutes drift by gently and delicately without ever becoming stale, something that more than a few artists struggle with. "Me and Lazarus" finds Beam's whispery vocals at their most refined, and this — in tandem with the background saxophone — makes the song incessantly catchy, giving it the feel of a truly radio-friendly hit.

As would be expected, Kiss Each Other Clean isn't perfect. At times there is the nagging feeling that it lacks a harder edge that could take it to an even higher level, but overall it's an accessible and truly rewarding record. It's unlikely that Beam will become a household name off the back of his latest effort, but his star is continuing to rise, and the inkling that it is only a matter of time before he receives large-scale recognition keeps on growing.