Album Rating: 3.8

Hmmm, maybe it could give that impression, yeah. I think the reality is I'm basically a fanboy, so even if this is one of his weakest, I still really like it. I certainly like the "idea" of this record better than Beast Epic, but the highlights on that album really shine.

Album Rating: 4.0

wow very good album

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

“Angels Go Home” just clicked pretty hard, love the orchestration in that one. Album is growing on me.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Fuck, “You Never Know” is kind of incredible.

Album Rating: 3.5

At least five of these songs are very very good.



Couple of average tunes (inc the duet)

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Yeah I’m not huge on the duet, but it’s more of a personal thing; it’s a thoroughly well composed, performed, and produced song, but it’s a type of song I generally find kind of boring.

“Tears That Don’t Matter” on the other end is on some Joanna Newson shit I now realize, love it.

Album Rating: 3.5

That’s my second favourite after Taken By Surprise, and then the opener and the fourth song are also great

Album Rating: 4.0

Glad to see love for Tears That Don't Matter.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Has he ever done this carefully composed chamber (and sometimes progressive) folk sound before? The more I listen the more I realize every element is very intentionally placed without feeling gratuitous (for the most part).

Album Rating: 4.0

I'm honestly not sure because even though I listened to his last two albums, I remember nothing about how they sounded. It's possible they sounded like this, but if not, then no.



Still hovering between a 4 and 4.5 on this (just lowered it to a 4 because, as good as it is, I'm struggling to latch onto very many melodies that lure me back) -- but it has an outside shot at displacing The Shepherd's Dog maybe not as his best outright, but definitely his most uniformly beautiful.

Album Rating: 3.5

Sow listen to Weed Garden it’s like 20 mins long and perfect

Album Rating: 3.8

Yeah, Sowing, you probably would love Weed Garden (even if I'm not as sold on it as Asleep is).



In regards to Boney's question - this is probably the most overt "chamber folk" release in the Iron & Wine discog, but it kinda collects bits and pieces of the sound of every era of his output. Honestly, I'd probably say The Shepherd's Dog might be closest in style to this, just in terms of balancing somewhere between straightforward folk and more adventurous arrangements, but I see that one as less "chamber" at least as I understand the term. His last album (Beast Epic) isn't too far off either, just more stripped-back in approach.

Album Rating: 3.5

Weed Garden is the hill that I die on

frick i should probably check (have not heard anything from these guys lol fuk)

Album Rating: 3.5

Neek don’t check this check Endless Numbered Days first then probs the yellow dog album

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

There is some superb lyricism going on here.



You could make gray and call it gold

Let it fool your eyes

Follow any wave crashing down to size

You could be wrong, don't you wanna know

Deep into the night

Like a little stone thrown across ice

Album Rating: 4.0

Boney seeing the light. ;-)

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Definitely yeah, this is a really lovely album.

Album Rating: 4.0 | Sound Off

Let's say what's on our minds

Like wе know how we feel

And just what we're feeling it for

Like life isn't outside the door

With its bag of cats…

"taken by surprise" is the prettiest song i've heard in awhile