MORE RAIN

Description

2016 album from the acclaimed singer/songwriter. M. Ward has released a string of acclaimed solo albums over the past several years, along with five LPs with Zooey Deschanel as She & Him and a 2009 collaborative album with My Morning Jacket's Jim James and Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis under the moniker Monsters of Folk. In addition to his celebrated work as a musician, Ward is an accomplished producer, handling those duties for such luminaries as Mavis Staples, Jenny Lewis, and Carlos Forster as well as his own musical projects. This album, Ward's eighth solo affair, finds the artist picking up the tempo and volume a bit from his previous release, 2012's A Wasteland Companion. Where that record introspectively looked in from the outside, More Rain finds Ward on the inside, gazing out. Begun four years ago and imagined initially as a DIY doo-wop album that would feature Ward experimenting with layering his own voice, it soon branched out in different directions, a move that he credits largely to his collaborators here who include R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Neko Case, K.D. Lang, The Secret Sisters, and Joey Spampinato of NRBQ. The result is a collection of upbeat, sonically ambitious yet canonically familiar songs that both propel Ward's reach and satisfy longtime fans. Review: M. Ward's gratitude and skill expressing & appreciating what he loves is in this release. - Most likely, M. Ward's best overall. This fun but softer approach to his diverse repertoire is much akin to a Harry Nilsson tribute, a performer Ward clearly admires. The tune Pirate Dial, for its ethereal and memorable affirmation of something or someone missed but still valued, is as heartfelt as any song in recent times. More Rain is a beautiful and stand-alone triumph. Whatever Ward set out to achieve, he struck gold. Review: M. Ward is Back! Thank God... - First listen says he's out of the clutches of Zooey Deschanel and the super cute, super dull influence, at least for the time being, and back to doing what he does well, although a little updated which is perfectly fine. The lyrics are spot-on with the music, instead of that Deschanel drivel with nothing-to-remember musical accompaniment. Yes, it sounds like I am really down on the She & Him stuff, because I am. It veered Ward dangerously close to pointlessness. Now, I'm not going to convince the lovers of that, and I don't care! Post away, I'll never read it. M. Ward is making his odd blend of sad, funny, throwback, modern music again. The album doesn't have the force of Hold Time or the desperate beauty of Transitor Radio, but it cuts a straighter line through Ward's best elements: beautiful melodies wrapped around sad lyrics. "Pirate Radio" and "Slow Driving Man" will hit you first. From there, we'll figure this out together.