After stumbling across M. Ward’s latest single, ‘The First Time I Ran Away’, I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of his new album A Wasteland Companion. M. Ward has certainly been around; he began his career with ‘Rodriguez’, releasing a variety of albums through the early 2000s. Later on he joined forces with Zooey Deschanel to form the group She & Him releasing two further albums Volume One and Volume Two in 2008 and 2010 respectively. Yet of all, perhaps his most prestigious achievement was joining the band ‘Monsters of Folk’ alongside the great Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes. No doubt then, one can argue that M. Ward has certainly been around, involving himself in groups of the sublime. However, M. Ward the individual seems to be much more of an enigma – his solo work seems to slip through the UK’s music scene radar. After all, A Wasteland Companion is his eighth solo album!
A Wasteland Companion musically tells the story of his brush from fame through modest vocals and curious blend of instruments. Tracks such as ‘Primitive Girl’ and ‘Me and My Shadow’ experiment with a variety of instruments to sustain an upbeat mood with ease and a sort of simplicity. Others such as ‘The First Time I Ran Away’ and ‘Wild Goose’ bring music back to its core roots with interesting finger picks and harmonious vocals forming captivating lyrics. Perhaps therefore, with such a great talent M. Ward could easily force his work into the arms of hundreds and thousands of fans, especially with the ever growing folk scene that’s reached UK charts. Why then is he so unknown but his music so great?
By title, A Wasteland Companion arguable gives insight into M. Ward’s character, as though he finds happiness and pleasure in being at the edge of society and a separate entity from himself from the grips of wide society’s musical preferences. M. Ward is undoubtedly happy in attracting the spirits of a smaller group of dedicated listeners who truly appreciate his efforts for what they are. There certainly seems to be an omnipotent force behind the title track ‘A Wasteland Companion’ that suggests this is a major theme of his work, enhanced through its extended outro, slipping halfway into ambience.
Under his external performance of modesty and simplicity, the album as a whole flows seamlessly like a well oiled machine, containing within it a complex system of cogs which form an expression of M. Ward as more than a man in the musical world! A Wasteland Companion deserves a serious 9/10, a clear reward for the art of such modesty and drive.
The single ‘The First Time I Ran Away’ certainly stands out in the album with a childlike dream quality heightened by perfect harmonies and intrinsic instruments. The video also emphasises the aspects of imagination M. Ward tries to achieve and enhances the piece tenfold:
Discover M. Ward: Official Website
By Dan Waller
Dance Yrself Clean
