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 01/2007
SHANE BARTELL
Too Soon to Say
reviewed 11/2016
Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band
The Rarity Of Experience Disks 1 & 2
reviewed 04/2008
Kris Delmhorst
Shotgun Singer
reviewed 04/2017
Amilia K Spicer
Wow And Flutter
reviewed 04/2008
Steppin' In It
Simple Tunes For Troubled Times
reviewed 03/2012
SHANIMAL
Rough & Tumble: Everybody Gets the Blues

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.