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:

More reviews tagged #Folk

  • reviewed 09/2015

    Moke Hill
    Time Stops Moving

  • reviewed 02/2014

    Sara Jean Kelley
    The Waiting Place

  • reviewed 10/2006

    HORSE FEATHERS
    Words Are Dead

  • reviewed 10/2013

    TUNNG
    Turbines

  • reviewed 06/2007

    STEVE FORBERT
    Strange Names & New Sensations

  • reviewed 02/2005

    Ray Wylie Hubbard
    Delerium Tremelos

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.