After a lengthy period of downtime (by his standards anyway) Sam Beam will release his next full-length, The Shepherd'''s Dog, this September via Sub Pop. Although he'''s released two EP'''s in the interim, this will be the proper follow-up to 2004'''s Our Endless Numbered Days. Longtime Iron & Wine fans should prepare themselves for a radical departure from previous efforts, as Beam opted for ''"a wider sonic palette''" on this outing.

"There's some waltzes, reggae-influenced stuff and some straight-up West African highlife music," Beam told Billboard about the album'''s sound. As for probable first single, ''"Boy With a Coin,''" Beam said, ''"It's got an African-sounding guitar thing. It's kind of familiar, but at the same time pretty indicative of the playfulness of this new record." Guests that appear on the album include Calexico's Joey Burns and Paul Niehaus, Tin Hat Trio accordionist Rob Burger and Califone's Brian Deck.

Here'''s the tracklist:

01 Pagan Angel and a Borrowed Car
02 White Tooth Man
03 Lovesong of the Buzzard
04 Carousel
05 House by the Sea
06 Innocent Bones
07 Wolves (Song of the Shepherd's Dog)
08 Resurrection Fern
09 Boy With a Coin
10 The Devil Never Sleeps
11 Peace Beneath the Cit
12 Flightless Bird, American Mouth