Friday, January 30, 2009

M. Ward…just him this time

Whoa, that was quick. I just finished this review of Hold Time, M. Ward’s new album, yesterday and there it is, up at Dusted already. (And a couple of weeks before release date, oops). I found it kind of flat, compared to Post-War, which I liked a lot…

Hold Time, Ward’s latest batch of songs, seems slighter, happier and louder than those on 2006’s Post-War, but also distinctly complacent. There’s nothing to draw you in like that first melancholy sigh on 'Poison Cup,' nothing to puzzle over like the tangled tale of 'Right in the Head,' nothing as goofily revelatory as 'Chinese Translation.' Instead, you get a few lucky-bastard songs about how groovy Ward feels, a couple of sad-bastard songs about what a drag it would be to die just now when things are going so well, and a whole bunch of new Testament verses ('Fisher of Men,' 'Epistemology') He’s not just in love, he’s gone all Sunday school on us… how disappointing.

More

"Hold Time"


Oh, and in other news, I went to see Loney Dear last night…and damn, he has got some rock show going, way more drum and bass than I remember and super fun. Last night was his first show on the American tour, so you’ve got lots of chances left, namely...

01/30 Boston, MA The Orpheum*
01/31 Brooklyn, NY Sound Fix In-Store 4pm
01/31 Brooklyn, NY Union Hall
02/02 Richmond, VA The National*
02/03 Washington, DC The 930 Club*
02/04 Atlanta, GA Variety Playhouse*
02/06 Orlando, FL The Plaza*
02/07 New Orleans, LA House of Blues*
02/09 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
02/10 Houston, TX Rudyard's British Pub
02/11 Denton, TX Hailey's
02/12 Austin, TX The Paramount Theater*
02/13 Albuquerque, NM The El Rey*
02/14 Tucson, AZ The Rialto*
02/15 San Diego, CA Soma San Diego*
02/17 Visalia, CA Howie and Son's Pizza
02/18 Los Angeles, CA The Orpheum*
02/19 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
02/20 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore*
02/21 Portland, OR Roseland*
02/23 Seattle, WA The Moore*
02/24 Boise, ID The Knitting Factory*
02/25 Murray, UT The Murray*
02/26 Denver, CO The Ogden*
02/27 Omaha, NE Slowdown*
03/01 Chicago, IL Schubas
03/18 - 03/21 Austin, TX SXSW

“Airport Surroundings”


And one more thing, I’m interviewing Julie Doiron this afternoon, so I’d better think of some questions…here’s “Consolation Prize” from the upcoming (in March) I Can Wonder What You Did with Your Day.

Oh, and check out Doug Mosurock's excellent podcast, which accompanies the latest installment of "Still Single."

Okay, I'm going to stop now.

2 comments:

cuddlefish said...

Hold Time was yet another disappointing album for me so far this year :( I have not heard Dear John yet but I hope to catch Loney Dear & Andrew Bird in two weeks...

jenniferpkelly said...

Hi, Clif. Yeah, I'm glad you felt the same way. It just seemed really dull to me, not painful, just dull.

I think Loney Dear's show is better than his record, but the show was really, really good. (The record is just good.) I can send it to you, if you want, but it might take me a couple of days to get my ass in gear.

best,

jenny