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 11/2011
MYRICK/PEACOCK
Myrick/Peacock
reviewed 02/2010
JOY KILLS SORROW
Darkness Sure Becomes This City
reviewed 01/2004
Ben Harper
Diamonds on the Inside
reviewed 02/2005
Ray Wylie Hubbard
Delerium Tremelos
reviewed 09/2012
RICKIE LEE JONES
THE DEVIL YOU KNOW
reviewed 12/2009
LAURA LOVE & ORVILLE JOHNSON
The Sweeter the Juice

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.