#2 Post War – M. Ward – 2006
1. "Poison Cup"
2. "To Go Home"
3. "Right in the Head"
4. "Post-War"
5. "Requiem"
6. "Chinese Translation"
7. "Eyes on the Prize"
8. "Magic Trick"
9. "Neptune's Net"
10. "Rollercoaster"
11. "Today's Undertaking"
12. "Afterword/Rag"
2. "To Go Home"
3. "Right in the Head"
4. "Post-War"
5. "Requiem"
6. "Chinese Translation"
7. "Eyes on the Prize"
8. "Magic Trick"
9. "Neptune's Net"
10. "Rollercoaster"
11. "Today's Undertaking"
12. "Afterword/Rag"
“Everything I've learned I have forgotten. Everything I've forgotten looks just like new”
There is a new member of the periodic table of elements. M Wardium was first discovered in 2006 with the release of the album Post War. It’s existence as it’s own separate element was in question until this release, rumor and innuendo surrounded it’s potency and uniqueness. Once scientists heard the opening sound of Poison Cup the imperical evidence was at hand.
-
-
“We simply have never heard anything like this. This is a whole new elemental musical thing.”
Post War is absolutely as good as it can be. I can’t find a mistake with it, the sequencing is right, the songs are right, the length is right. M Wardium is an addictive thing, especially in it’s purest form on stand outs like Requiem, Chinese Translation, Rollercoaster, and Right in the Head.
The Daniel Johnston cover, To Go Home is a home run, a turbo charged cover of the highest order. Ward’s vocals have a murkified sound reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s Time Out of Mind. On two tracks, the afore mentioned Poison Cup and Today’s Undertaking, we are given a dose of a Roy Orbison feel in their build up and exhalting triumphant endings.
Magic Trick is pure fun and yet fits snug and comfy right between Eyes on the Prize and Neptune’s Net. When they were done recording, sequencing, and mastering Post War and gave it that first listen they had to know it was right. It must have been gratifying.
When I was checking out the top of the 2000’s lists this was the one that shocked me as far as a lack of inclusion. It was very well reviewed back in 06’ but for some reason these guys forgot about it. I will not be forgetting Post War anytime soon.
M. ward gets a Twofer in the list. Does that make him your artist of the decade?
ReplyDeleteI bought Monster of Folk album. His songs are the few highlights. No Traveling Wilburys...
#2 Mark Knopfler- Shangri-La (2004)
ReplyDeleteIf you like storytelling, then please listen to this record. If you like tasty guitar playing, then you need to hear it. This is a beautiful record. Every song tells a story, stories I had never heard. The song "Boom, Like That" tells about Ray Kroc who started McDonalds, and he seems very unlikeable.
Or there's the "Song for Sonny Liston", which is heartbreaking and beautiful and makes you wish Sonny had a different life. Some of the songs you have to guess about, for instance, I think "Sucker Row" is about the start up of the Vegas strip.
In addition to the impeccable songwriting is the grooves and melodies Knopfler created to tell the story as well. This record can be funky or sweet, raucous or mellow, and all at once. This is such a great record, we still listen to it regularly at our house, after all these years.
KH - Still got number one for a possible ol' artist of the decade nod:-) M Ward's first few releases were quiet mostly solo affairs. Real good but these last two (with band etc..)man.. I just can't get enough. I will lala those Monsters of folk tracks to see what they're like.
ReplyDeleteI bought Jesus, Moses, Buddha, and Muhammed perform Appalchian Hymns and it was no Traveling Wilbury's!!!!!
KG - My brother did a radio show ala Bob Dylan's theme time through Mercer University Radio. He let me co host and I picked "Fight Night" as the theme and Brian picked Song for Sonny Liston as one of his tracks.. soooooo good. It reminds me that I need to hear the rest of this record.
Wow, another M. Ward record. I'm really going to check out more of his catalog now!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you mention that radio show. That was the medium by which I first heard that Tracy was pregnant. I still have that show and I listen to it every now and then. It'll be something else for you to hear it in 10 or 20 years' time.
Jauzins - I can't say enough for these last two, I just think he is in the zone here. I have his back catalog but Post War and Hold Time are different beasts all together...
ReplyDeleteHold Time may not stand the test of time for it's ranking (it could), but I stand firmly on the ground of Post War, it is flawless.