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 06/2011
Black Jake and the Carnies
Sundry Mayhems
reviewed 01/2017
John Craigie
No Rain, No Rose
reviewed 01/2012
LOUISA BRANSCOMB
I'll Take Love from the pen of Louisa Branscomb
reviewed 07/2007
The Pines
Sparrows In The Bell
reviewed 08/2017
Mike Blakely
Keepsake
reviewed 10/2006
MICHAEL LEONHART
The Ballad of Milton Quigley

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.