M Ward "A Wasteland Companion"

       Because M Ward cannot Hold Time, or return it to an earlier time, he might as well find A Wasteland Companion. Nobody is perfect, and it’s not like he has anything to atone for (musically); If he does I overlook it. The good thing is that every record is like a “Clean State,” and this does not disappoint. No studio tricks, just good old fashioned harmonies and piano; as real as the “Primitive Girl” “from her natural head/to her natural toes.”                                                                                                                             There are those musicians, who fascinate the masses, yet there are some who are not fooled by the smoke and mirrors that often trail said artist. “Me and My Shadow” is a tale featuring one of those artists that M Ward is ready to expose.While in the next song M Ward has a “Sweetheart,” but they just like to make beautiful music together, and this song is no different in Zooey Deschanel’s second consecutive feature. This next song happens to be one of my favorites because “I Get Ideas.” It sounds slightly like that’s amore performed by…Roy Orbison comes to mind.  It’s always good to have friends, and those who you can count on; Ward mentions them, but then finds himself solely with is music toward the end in “A Wasteland Companion.”                                                                                                                                                 Most people would have loved to get paid to watch T.V. when they were younger, but now that you think of it wasting thirty years of your life watching the lives of those that aren’t even real? I don’t think I could stand to “Watch The Show,” especially with the side effects; if anything it is subtle frustration that is unsettling. I cannot help but think of Vince Guaraldi with the opening piano, and the song as a whole when I “Crawl After You.” I do like that the guitar sings the song that his grandmother has taught him.                         To catch a “Wild Goose” requires something I apparently don’t have, so instead I will just live without one.  How adding the embrace of your beloved can create “Pure Joy” is beyond me, because it is rare to feel completely content for a long time. The imagery creates that slow motion effect when running into that embrace just makes you feel good. Favorites: Clean State, Primitive Girl, Me and My Shadow, I Get Ideas, Watch The Show, There’s A Key, Crawl After You and Wild Goose.