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
MATT WOODS
Matt Woods Manifesto
reviewed 02/2010
RAY WYLIE HUBBARD
A. ENLIGHTENMENT, B. ENDARKENMENT (HINT: THERE IS NO C)
reviewed 11/2009
AMANDA SHIRES
West Cross Timbers
reviewed 03/2009
DONNA ULISSE
Walk This Mountain Down
reviewed 11/2012
JUNIOR BROWN
VOLUME TEN
reviewed 05/2008
KATE RUSBY
Awkward Annie

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.