Iron & Wine - Our Endless Numbered Days SPCD 630

The 'one bloke with an acoustic and a bucket of tunes' bus is surely getting a little crowded, but Sam Beam, a lecturer from Florida who makes up Iron & Wine's studio line-up, gets by thanks to being perhaps the quietest of them all. Singing in a mid whisper, and almost always just with his guitar, he writes simple slow summery songs about life. So of course, that means he's reflective, wistful, has songs about love, but the great thing is the low volume really does create a rare sense of constant intimacy. Honest.

Songs like 'Fever Dream' and 'Naked As We Came' are just stripped down songs about love to absorb yourself in; all simple melodies and caring lyrics. He's definitely moved on from previous album 'The Creek Drank The Cradle' which suffered from repitition for me, and whilst I dont think Beam will ever be anyone's favourite singer/songwriter, his albums are like a walk in a nice forest; not something you want to overdo but something you can always rely on for a nice, different and thoughtful experience.

Salif Keita - M'Bemba - 0602498312278

Salif Keita once said he developed his voice as a child while scaring the monkeys away from his father's crops. In that case, we have a lot to thank the monkeys for. For many, me included, his soaring, powerful vocals on Soro, were an introduction to the music of West Africa and the album helped launch "world music" as a genre. He was always more other-worldly than his contemporaries, like Baaba Maal and Youssou N'Dour, and never quite followed their path to international fame. He is famous, of course, but he did get lost along the way and his output has been patchy.

His last album, Moffou, was rightly welcomed as return to form. Quiet and traditional, it had a sense of calm. M'Bemba builds on that. It has a stellar cast of Malian musicians, including Kante Manfila and Toumani Diabate, and was recorded in Keita's own studio in Mali. Buju Banton's contribution on Ladji is rather dubious, but the rest is flawless, with even a touch of soukous. And on the last two tracks, M'Bemba and Moriba, that voice starts soaring again.

Van Morrison - Pay The Devil (Polydor E6EIT4)

And while we're in a country mood, there's this. I tried, really tried, not to buy it. I defer to no-one in my admiration for Van Morrison but too many recent albums have been way off the pace - and I assumed this would be too. Then I heard Playhouse and then his version of Your Cheatin' Heart and gave in. It's country covers and a couple of originals. His voice is great and the band, handpicked and honed to perfection. Not everyone's glass of JD but if you're in the mood - or need to keep the country feel going after listening to The Little Willies - it hits the spot. Anyone for Nashville?

The Little Willies (Parlophone E6UJXS)

Every so often you discover something which you know is going to become a fixture in your life. It may not be the stonking great settee in the middle of the room, but it will fit comfortably in some corner and be returned to and appreciated often. So it is with The Little Willies - a group of friends who got together to play in a New York Club but who happen to include some great musicians and Norah Jones singing. It's a country feel, with covers of songs by Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson amongst others. The lazy vocals fit the laid back feel like the proverbial silk glove, the guitar, just behind the beat, always seems to head in an unexpected direction and you can just tell they are having a good time. If they played in a bar near you every Friday you'd be a regular. If you want to download a taste choose "It's Not You It's Me".