M. Ward's Hold Time

M. Ward's new album - Hold Time has a relaxed but very tight feel. It seems loose but there are no extraneous notes, no superfluous instruments. Everything is put together well. But the one thing missing is passion. The record is cerebral, well-crafted and in many respects beautiful. Track by track follows:

In For Beginners he sings about Mt. Zion & Caledonia. Mt. Zion is the mountain outside Jerusalem and Caledonia is Scotland. Nice riff - mainly guitar & vocal

Nobody Like You is kind of a rambling tune with a bit of synthesizer, simple yet heart-felt. Basic but there is a deeper level. The best song on the disc.

In Jail Bird he's crying for help but no one hears except the Angel coming down. Bit of reverb on voice to fatten it up, light drums, short, breezy, seemingly shallow, pop tinged.

With the title track, Hold Time, there are lush strings, and a slow, figure played in a swampy sounding synthesizer. It is much different from other songs, like it was done at a different time. It has heavy voice echo and like the other songs is very short.

Buddy Holly's Rave On, very near the 50th anniversary of the legend's death is a smokey, languid affair. It might work better with people who don't know the original.

To Save Me - sailing over the edge with an up tempo, Beach Boys influenced tune. The title line repeats - to save me from sailing over the edge.

The blues tinged One Hundred Million Miles is mostly vocal and guitar. It shows a limited vocal range and inflection. It is so restrained.

The electric piano is dominant on the intro to Stars of Leo. It does kick in with the band including bass and drums. It has the most interesting instrumentation and really seems to rock a bit. Then it slows down and fades out.

The Fisher of Men has a country bass line and honky-tonk feel. The voice seems tired, world-weary. Understated and restrained. Makes me wonder what it would sound like live.

Oh Lonesome Me features Lucinda Williams, who everyone I know likes but whose voice is not my favorite doing the classic Don Gibson song. Really slow and thoughtful.

Epistemology - raised in a Catholic school, more of a full on rocker than the other songs, could imagine it getting a workout live.

Blake's View - death is just a door. Ruminations about life, death and everything.

Shangri-La has some nice guitar.

Outro - instrumental, town with no pity kind of feel, sad sort of desolate image,

I really wanted to like this record. She and He, his collaboration with Zooey Deschanel is a very well-crafted and enjoyable record. This in well done but ultimately less than satisfying. Having said that M. Ward is a very talented and gifted writer and performer. I suspect good things are in his future.