Recording information: At Home, Miami, FL.

Photographer: Samuel Beam.

Iron and Wine's debut record, The Creek Drank the Cradle, is written, produced, and performed by Sam Beam and features only Beam's voice, a gently strummed acoustic guitar, some slide guitar, and the occasional banjo. Iron and Wine creates intimate and emotional songs, recorded bedroom-style but never letting the lo-fi get in the way of the tune. The obvious comparison has to be Lou Barlow/Sebadoh/Sentridoh, as they share the same breathy voice, melancholy outlook on life, and devotion to Nick Drake. The difference is that there are no traces of punk rock or noise for the sake of noise in Iron and Wine's music. Beam isn't interested in rocking out or obscuring the beauty that bursts from within his simple songs; he embraces it and lets his sadness twist in the wind for all to see. Besides, his vocal harmonies are more soft rock than punk rock. "Lion's Mane" opens the record and immediately takes your breath away as Beam's voice is so beautiful and his hooks are razor sharp. Every song that follows is just as memorable, Beam sounding positively angelic as he harmonizes with himself. "The Rooster Moans" is a chilling side trip into Appalachian folk; "Southern Anthem" a falsetto-led indie-gospel track with an absolutely soaring chorus. The simple musical backing never gets boring either, as there are musical hooks to match the vocal hooks -- the banjo in "Lion's Mane," the double-tracked repeating slide at the end of "Faded from the Winter," the gently chugging rhythm of "Upward Over the Mountain." As soon as the almost jaunty, Neil Young-esque album closer, "Muddy Hymnal," ends, you'll want to hit repeat and start again. The Creek Drank the Cradle is a stunning debut and one of the best records of 2002. ~Tim Sendra

One of the most lauded albums of 2002, THE CREEK DRANK THE CRADLE has the ability to stun with its spare beauty. Under the alias of Iron & Wine, Floridian singer/songwriter Sam Beam unveils a rustic 11-song debut here that brings to mind a Southern Gothic Nick Drake. Recorded solely by Beam at home, the disc features minimal instrumentation (primarily acoustic guitar) and a lo-fi sound that's used to striking effect. This bare-bones setting spotlights Beam's high, clear, often-whispered vocals and his evocative lyrics, which conjure up thieving birds, daunting mountains, and melancholy church-goers.

"Lion's Mane" immediately draws listeners close with its intricate, finger-picked guitar and quiet singing, as if Beam were sharing a secret. "Promising Light" seems to move in entrancingly slow motion as it ponders the nature of love, while "The Rooster Moans" saunters into gritty, foreboding bluegrass territory. The record's rural atmosphere is remarkably consistent; Beam's is an achingly sincere voice with plenty of dark, backwoods stories to tell. Although the Iron & Wine sound would be expanded on subsequent releases, the template of Beam's aesthetic is fully in place here, making it an undeniably important album.