M. Ward's fifth proper album begins appropriately with the lyric "When you're absolute beginners, it's a panoramic view," a notion that the dusty Portland, OR-based singer/songwriter must be nostalgic for as his profile increases with each and every project. His 2008 collaboration with actress/singer/songwriter Zooey Deschanel as the producer, player, and arranger of She & Him helped to let the rest of the world in on what the low-key folk underground has been savoring since 2001's End of Amnesia. His penchant for sun-drenched West Coast vistas and timeless narratives that revel in Tom Waits-inspired Americana and non-dogmatic spirituality come full circle on Hold Time, a typical Matt Ward collection of laconic summer songs that could have safely appeared in any decade without suspicion of origin. Similar in scope to 2006's Post-War, Hold Time feels like a single performance, with songs fading out within inches of their successors, often holding true to both instrumentation and theme. Ward populates the project with a handful of guest appearances, though none gratuitous. Deschanel returns the favor on two cuts, a languid cover of the Buddy Holly classic "Rave On" and "Never Had Nobody Like You," a straight-up lues-rocker that fuses a Gary Glitter backbeat to the skeleton of Post-War nugget "Requiem"; Grandaddy mastermind Jason Lytle helps turn "To Save Me" into a lost ELO-produced Beach Boys rarity; and Lucinda Williams lends her sweetly graveled pipes to a lovely, expansive version of the Don Gibson weeper "Oh Lonesome Me." As always, Ward peppers the record with originals that sound like long-lost Hank Williams tunes ("One Hundred Million Years" and "Shangri-La") and lush ballads that sound like they crawled out of an old safe deposit box. The title track in particular brings to mind Ward's English equal, ex-Pulp guitarist and ultra-cool retro-crooner Richard Hawley -- between the two of them, they've built a bridge between indie and adult alternative rock that positively reeks of class. Hold Time will do little to entice listeners for whom Matt Ward's sepia-tone charm holds no sway, but for fans who have enjoyed the ride thus far, this looks like the sunniest stretch of road yet.
MOGstars: 8 out of 10 Hold Time is somewhat of a misnomer for the latest album from M Ward, the Portland troubadour and She & Him collaborator; here time is something to be travelled through, not grasped. Following in the wake of 2006's Post War, which openly drew from 1940s sources, he has now taken a path that flits from the nascent rock'n'roll of the 50s to the polished sounds of Spector's ...
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Fresh off his acclaimed She & Him project with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel, M. Ward returns with another solo album, Hold Time, his sixth effort and first release since 2006’s Post-War. Everyone’s favorite low-key indie folkster serves up generous helpings of sunny pop melodies, bluesy ballads, and breezy rock tunes with a slew of guests including Lucinda Williams, Jason Lytle, and, of cour
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This is a skinny album. The production is some kind of thin-air, upper-echelons-of-the-atmosphere style affair, the lyrics are lean and good songs are thin on the ground. There are a few notable exceptions to this. The warm, early morning of 'Oh Lonesome Me' rolls along "fancy free" like Jack Johnson strung out on mushrooms.
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Ama Chana reviews the latest album from TLOBF fav M. Ward. The question is, does it live up to the classic albums he's release previously?
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Solo again, after the much-lauded release of Volume 1 by She & Him (M. Ward’s collaboration with actress-singer Zooey Deschanel), Hold Time is exactly what you’d expect from the old-timey troubadour.It’s a beautiful, sepia-tinged offering, Ward’s voice at once spectral and tenacious. Infinitely layered and carefully constructed, these fourteen songs manage to maintain a looseness, [...]Rel
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MOGstars: 8 out of 10 Hold Time is somewhat of a misnomer for the latest album from M Ward, the Portland troubadour and She & Him collaborator; here time is something to be travelled through, not grasped. Following in the wake of 2006's Post War, which openly drew from 1940s sources, he has now taken a path that flits from the nascent rock'n'roll of the 50s to the polished sounds of Spector's ...
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Here's a version of this song like I've never heard before. It's slow, pensive, has a Lou Reed kind of vibe IMHO. However, the vocals by Lucinda Williams take it to another level altogether. Listen and you will see.
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Time is playing tricks on me. It's both speeding by and standing still all in the same moment but then again a moment of time is still a measurement of it, so time must be progressing whether or not I have anything to do with it. Funny, I don't remember looking so old.The great M. Ward does a cover of the great Buddy Holly's "Rave On".Buddy Holly - Rave On (Reefer Madness clip)
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M. Ward has a new solo album out, Hold On. Check out this one, which featuresd his She & Him partner, Zooey Deschanel.
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There's something about a fuzzbox guitar sound that I'm so connecting with today. First there was Ryan's Heavy Orange and now this very addictive Never Had Nobody Like You from M. Ward's latest Hold Time. Listen out for the future Mrs. Ben Gibbard, aka, the other half of She & Him, Zooey Deschanel on harmony vocals. I wish She and Him had more songs like this one.
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Purely for documentation: I just received this quote in an email from my high school kid brother. He's begging me to take him to Bonnaroo, which I thought was kind of odd considering he never used to listen to music. So I asked him about it. He said, "yeah, my music tastes have improved. I remember when I used to think all music was pointless and dumb... wow was I stupid." !!!! Finally he u...
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Fresh off his acclaimed She & Him project with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel, M. Ward returns with another solo album, Hold Time, his sixth effort and first release since 2006’s Post-War. Everyone’s favorite low-key indie folkster serves up generous helpings of sunny pop melodies, bluesy ballads, and breezy rock tunes with a slew of guests including Lucinda Williams, Jason Lytle, and, of cour
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maybe i should buy a new acoustic and learn how to actually play some beatles songs instead of picking up a new video game and improving my hand-eye coordination? in a perfect world i'd buy both, but i don't have those kinds of funds...so i guess it's time to research a new acoustic?i've been listening to a lot of m. ward this summer, what with the free show in Central Park, and the more i list...
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NPR started stream of M. Ward's entire upcoming album, Hold Time, last night at midnight ET! Of course you should check it out. Because it's awesome, that's why. Seriously, though, go listen. You can also still hear Andrew Bird's upcoming Noble Beast, and NPR will have Animal Collective's latest there next week (though chances are you've heard it already). So make sure you check back h...
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ummm, one thing that i kind of forgot about, actually not really forgot but chose to ignore, is having to come up with a security deposit on a place. yeah, having to come up with $2600 within the next few weeks is going to be a bit rough. not sure how we are going to [...]
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M. Ward and friends had a nice little musical moment Friday night as they performed To Save Me for Craig Ferguson and his Late Late Show audience. M. Ward's latest, Hold Time, is out now.
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Folk's busiest man M. Ward, who recently confirmed a sequel to She & Him's Volume One (with the uber-adorable Zooey Deschanel), has also finally confirmed the details of his new solo album, which we wrote about not too long ago (TMT News). Titled Hold Time, the album is scheduled to drop on February 17, 2009, courtesy of Merge, and features guest performances by Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), Lucinda...
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M. Ward has revealed that he will be releasing a new album in 2009. It will be called "Hold Time". The musician told Paste: "I just finished a record that's going to be out in February, It's called Hold Time. I'm excited for people to hear it. I tried a new balance on this new record. It's a little hard to explain. There's a lot of really big and heavy sounds that I attempted to balance with...
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From his upcoming release, this is a new video from the M Ward ( most popularly known as the "HIM" in his work with "She & Him". I love this video as it reminds me of the summer I spent with my son riding this tramway above the Southwaterfront area in Portland. Timeless and priceless. M Ward is beginning a tour this month in the States.. check check check it out!Wednesday, February 18 Boston, M...
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Ama Chana reviews the latest album from TLOBF fav M. Ward. The question is, does it live up to the classic albums he's release previously?
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 For Beginners |
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| 2 Never Had Nobody Like You |
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| 3 Jailbird |
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| 4 Hold Time |
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| 5 Rave On |
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| 6 To Save Me |
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| 7 One Hundred Million Years |
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| 8 Stars of Leo |
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| 9 Fisher of Men |
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| 10 Oh Lonesome Me |
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| 11 Epistemology |
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| 12 Blacke's View |
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| 13 Shangri-La |
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| 14 Outro (I'm a Fool to Want You) |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Hold Time")
