M Ward

CD CHOICE: A Wasteland CompanionBella Union ****

Matt Ward’s public stock is at an all-time high following his dalliances with She & Him and Monsters of Folk. Now’s the time for a killer blow. A Wasteland Companion, the California native’s seventh record, is certainly as salient as his past solo output, but is it enough to capitalise on a newly expectant audience?

It’s unlikely such a fiercely autonomous songwriter places much significance on these matters. All the same, his successful dabblings in sugar-coated folk-pop with Zooey Deschanel mean that the his main career has been unavoidably sidelined in recent years.

But this is where Ward’s experience is really drawn upon. Sure, fans of She & Him will undoubtedly be won over by songs such as Sweetheart, featuring Deschanel, its old time rock’n’roll jukebox tick bolstered by the actress’s girlish vocals. Likewise, the upbeat flourishes on the piano-led Primitive Girl recall Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson at their most radio-friendly, and Me & My Shadow bristles with a harder, yet undeniably poppy edge.

The more intense side of Ward’s songwriting – the erudite lyrics and the gentle husky croon that established his successful solo career and caused his erstwhile bandmate Conor Oberst to jokingly declare him for presidency in 2004 – isn’t forgotten here.

It rears its head on The First Time I Ran Away, a glorious creation infused with a Harry Nilsson crackle, its lo-fi, sun-dappled soundtrack recalling the Laurel Canyon sound of the 1970s as Ward murmurs an evocative childhood tale about seeing “faces in the trees” and hearing “voices in the stars”.

The songs that follow it are no less beguiling for their comparative solemnity. Crawl After You, Wild Goose and the beautiful love paean Pure Joy elicit gentle whispers of sound over lapsteel guitars and understated stringed accompaniment.

Their inclusion may not appeal to those listeners who long for more playful material by the man they've come to know as "Him". Nevertheless, they lend a balance to what is a beautifully well-rounded record by a talented, versatile musician. mwardmusic.com

Download tracks: Primitive Girl, The First Time I Ran Away, Pure Joy