Album Reviews

M. Ward

Transistor Radio

2005-03-01

Impressive.
Ward's previous album, End of Amnesia was a big step in the right direction, but this one is the destination. The songs have just the right balance of thoughtful songwriting, fine musicianship, unplugged beauty, electronic meddling and haunting vocals.

The songs have a sort of distant, aged feel to them, as if they'd be playing when you walked into an abandoned building in a ghost town. They're like an old-fashioned folk-pop, if there is such a thing.

Cleverly, the record is dedicated to "the last of the independent & open format community radio". How did he know we'd go for that?

12 original tunes and covers that include Brian Wilson's "You Still Believe in Me", The Carter Family's "Oh Take Me Back" and a hushed album-closing take on J.S. Bach's "Well-Tempered Clavier".

Quick Links:

all reviews | all folk reviews

More reviews tagged #Folk

reviewed 01/2012
PAUL KELLY
Greatest Hits-Songs From the South Volumes 1 & 2
reviewed 09/2007
WALT WILKINS
Diamonds In The Sun
reviewed 02/2005
Jimmy LaFave
Blue Nightfall
reviewed 10/2011
BOOKA AND THE FLAMING GECKOS
The Not So Meaningful Songs in the Life of Jeremy Fink
reviewed 05/2017
Matt Urmy
Out Of The Ashes
reviewed 04/2007
Avett Brothers
Emotionalism

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.