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On his major-label debut, "Kiss Each Other Clean," Iron and Wine's Sam Beam has finally expanded his musical view. Sure, Beam is still playing sad-guy folk songs with biblical lyrics, but the previously all-acoustic guitarist/singer is sprinkling them among tracks that touch on jazz, funk, '70s rock and even African influences. Those who previously dismissed Iron and Wine as nothing more than an early-Bob Dylan wannabe will be delighted by standout tracks like "Me and Lazarus," which features a meaty sax solo and sharp lines like "He's an emancipated punk and he can dance." The album's seven-and-a-half-minute closer, "Your Fake Name Is Good Enough for Me," begins as a modest jazz opus before swelling into a full-on rock cacophony, complete with feedback and Beam's snarling Neil Young-esque guitar chops. Nestling welcomed experimentation among familiar tunes, Beam is hedging his bets with "Kiss Each Other Clean."
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