M. Ward

For other people named M. Ward, seeWard (surname) § M.

Matthew Stephen Ward(born October 4, 1973), known professionally asM. Ward,is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist fromGlendale, California.Ward's solo work is a mixture offolkandblues-inspiredAmericanaanalog recordings.He has released 10 studio albums since 1999, primarily through the independent labelMerge Records.In addition to his solo work, he is a member of indie pop duoShe & Himand folk-rocksupergroupMonsters of Folk,and also participates in recording, producing, and playing with multiple other artists.

M. Ward
Ward performing at theGlastonbury Festival,June 27, 2009
Background information
Birth name	Matthew Stephen Ward
Born	(1973-10-04)October 4, 1973
Origin	Glendale, California,U.S.
Genres	Indie folk alternative country American primitive guitar
Occupations	Singer-songwriter guitarist
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass harmonica piano keyboards mandolin xylophone percussion
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Merge 4AD Matador Arts & Crafts México Bella Union Anti-
Member of	She & Him
Formerly of	Monsters of Folk
Website	mwardmusic.com

Early life

Ward was raised inGlendale, California,and moved toPortland, Oregon,after attending college at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.Growing up, Ward taught himself songs bythe Beatleson his brother's guitar, and began recording demos on afour-track analog taperecorder when he was about fifteen.Ward continues to record only analog, and starts all of his songs as demos on the same recorder he has had since his teens.

Solo recordings

Duets for Guitars #2andEnd of Amnesia(1999–2001)

Ward's solo debut,Duet for Guitars #2,was released by Co-Dependent Records in 1999, then reissued byHowe Gelb's Ow Om record label in 2000.Described by Joshua Klein ofPitchforkas "ragged and lo-fi... recorded on a shoestring and not necessarily worse for it",Duet for Guitars #2soon went out of print for a second time, before being reissued by Merge in 2007.

Ward's second album,End of Amnesia,was put out byFuture Farmer RecordsandLoose Music(Europe) in 2001. In a retrospective review, Ryan Kearney ofPitchforkcompared the album to a contemporary band,Sparklehorse,saying that "bothLinkousand Ward are country-and folk-influenced artists who scratch unavoidable, but nominally disruptive marks on the traditional blueprint ".Sparklehorse had releasedIt's a Wonderful Lifeto critical acclaim earlier in the year.

A collection of live recordings,Live Music & The Voice of Strangers,was a self-released disc that was sold at his shows in 2001.

Transfiguration of VincentandTransistor Radio(2003–05)

Ward released his third album,Transfiguration of Vincent,onMerge Recordsin 2003 to critical success.Transfiguration of Vincentreceived a weighted average score of 82 out of 100 by review aggregator website Metacritic, based on 13 critical reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".The title alludes to the 1965 albumThe Transfiguration of Blind Joe DeathbyJohn Fahey,and refers to the life and death of Vincent O'Brien, a close friend to Ward.Fahey'spre-warstyle of folk music and production techniques, using basic equipment and simple arrangements, greatly influenced Ward's own sound and recording practices.

Transistor Radio,Ward's fourth album, was released on Merge in 2005, and he served as the opening act forThe White Stripesthat fall.The album consists of Ward's own compositions as well as three covers,The Beach Boys' "You Still Believe in Me",Carmen Lombardo's pop standard "Sweethearts on Parade",andBach's "Well-Tempered Clavier".Transistor Radioreceived a score of 78 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Josh Terry ofConsequence of Sound,writing ofTransistor Radioin 2014, described the album as "one of the finer examples of ramshackle and intimate mid-aughts folk."A writer forAlternative Press,however, said that "Most of Ward's quiet, contemporary folk songs are mere sketches, mediocre if not unmemorable."Transistor Radiowas reissued by Merge in December 2014 with four previously unreleased tracks.

Post-WarandHold Time(2006–09)

In August 2006, Ward releasedPost-Waron Merge Records.Post-Warwas Ward's first album with a full backing band, with players includingHowe Gelb,Jim James,andNeko Case.Post-Warwas described byVanity Fairin its August 2006 issue as thematic on the question "How will America heal once thiscraziness in Iraqis over? "Ward said in that article that he looked to the post-war music of the late 1940s and 1950s." I had the naive, simplistic idea that producers and writers and artists of the time helped in a minuscule way to change the mind-set of America. "In addition to this inspired material, the album also contains a cover ofDaniel Johnston's "To Go Home", which was subsequently re-released on theTo Go HomeEPin 2007. A critical success,Post-Warreceived "universal acclaim" of 81 out of 100, aggregated by Metacriticand reached No. 146 onBillboard's Top 200.Ward spent most of 2007 touring withNorah Jonesin support of the album, as well as occasionally playing in Norah's touring band, "The Handsome Band". Ward played on Jones's 2007 releaseNot Too Late.

Hold Time,the followup toPost-War,was released on Merge in February 2009.Hold Timeincludes guest performances byJason Lytleof the bandGrandaddy,Lucinda Williams,Tom Hagerman ofDeVotchKa,andShe & Himco-contributorZooey Deschanel.The album includes a cover of theBuddy Hollysong "Rave On!"Described by Autumn De WildeEntertainment Weeklyas "[feeling] timeless, a musical wanderer's dusty, train-hopping tour through folk, blues, and country,"Hold Timereceived an aggregated 79 out of 100 on Metacritic, for "generally favorable reviews"and reached No. 31 on Billboard's Top 200.

A Wasteland CompanionandMore Rain(2012–present)

After several years of touring and releasing albums with pop project She & Him and folksupergroupMonsters of Folk,Ward released his seventh studio album,A Wasteland Companion,in 2012 on Merge andBella Union.Reaching number 21 in the US charts,A Wasteland Companionreceived an aggregated score of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".Will Hermes ofRolling Stonegave the album 3.5 of 5 stars, reflective of the aggregated score, and commented that "[A Wasteland Companion] is his most vivid and varied yet, full of exquisite guitar work,...gem-like songcraft...and inspired covers. "Matthew McFarland ofPrefixoffered the criticism, "What's missing, though, is the familiar sense of deft control over the album's arc, the lyrical intrigues, and the instrumental detail that make his other work so indispensable [sic] to the indie folk canon of last decade."

After another multi-year break from solo recording, M. Ward released his eighth album,More Rain,on March 4, 2016, via MergeandBella Union.Ward began working onMore Rainin 2012, initially experimenting with layering his own vocals to create adoo-woprecord. After collaborating with other artists on the record such asR.E.M.'sPeter Buck,k.d. lang,Neko Case,and others, the sound of the album went in a different direction, described as a "true gotta-stay-indoors, rainy-season record that looks upwards through the weather while reflecting on his past."

Ward (right) andZooey Deschanelperforming asShe & Himat theNewport Folk Festival(August 2, 2008)

On June 8, 2018, Ward self-releasedWhat a Wonderful Industry,his ninth studio album. Using a variety of anecdotes and metaphors, the album examines the complex challenges of working within the cutthroat music industry. As Ward stated in an interview with NPR, "You quickly learn there's a perfectly imperfect balance of cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals in the zoo....This record visits the most memorable characters. There's a lot of very inspirational people I've had the pleasure to work with but there are also a few I wish I'd never met."

Ward's tenth studio album,Migration Stories,was released on April 3, 2020, on Anti Records.Later that year, Ward releasedThink of Springwhich features songs originally recorded by Billie Holiday. In June 2023, Anti Records released Ward's twelfth solo albumSupernatural Thing.

With other musicians

She and Him

Main article:She & Him

In 2006, Ward was working on the soundtrack for the filmThe Go-Getter,co-starring actressZooey Deschanel,when DirectorMartin Hynessuggested Ward and Deschanel record a duet for the movie. Ward later referred to the collaboration as "a fruitful, creative experience."Deschanel soon sent Ward demos of songs she had written, and the two formed the pop duoShe & Himto record together, with Deschanel writing the songs.The duo's first albumVolume One— which Ward produced – was released onMerge Recordson March 18, 2008.Volume Onefound critical and commercial success for Deschanel and Ward's pop music. The album reached No. 31 on Billboard's Top 200,and Metacritic has the critical album reviews aggregated to 76 out of 100, or "generally favorable reviews".

She & Him's second album,Volume Two,was released on Merge in 2010.Volume Twopeaked at No. 6 on Billboard's Top 200, outperforming their first release.A Very She & Him Christmaswas released October 25, 2011 on Merge Records, peaking at No. 12.After a break, She & Him released their third album of original songs,Volume 3in 2013 followed by a collection ofstandards,Classics,in 2014. Both albums also charted and were released on Merge.In 2016 they released their second christmas album,Christmas Party.

Monsters of Folk

Main article:Monsters of Folk

Monsters of Folkis a project formed by Ward,Jim JamesofMy Morning Jacket,andConor OberstandMike MogisofBright Eyes.The four had been touring and playing together at various points throughout the 2000s and regularly talked of making an album together.The result, the eponymousMonsters of Folk,was released in September 2009.Monsters of Folkreceived "generally favorable reviews" with an aggregate score of 80 out of 100 on Metacritic.Prefix's Dave Clark said of thesupergroupthat "The players on Monsters of Folk complement each other extremely well. There is definitely something to be said for group chemistry. These songs don't always shine the way they could, but the album is a great effort."Monsters of Folkwas a commercial success, peaking at No. 15 on Billboard's Top 200.

Other artists

He has performed on recordings byBrian Wilson,Kim Deal,Giant Sand,Cat Power,Neko Case,Beth Orton(with whom he co-wrote the title track to her albumComfort of Strangers),The Court & Spark,Bright Eyes(with whom he toured on the 2004Vote for Changetour withR.E.M.andBruce Springsteen),Jenny Lewis(whose debut solo albumRabbit Fur Coathe co-produced), andMy Morning Jacket.

In 2005, Ward was – along withAaron Burtch,Jason LytleandJim FairchildfromGrandaddy,Scout Niblett,Marie FrankorJeremy Gara– involved inHowe Gelb's project calledArizona Amp and Alternator,which had officially no band membersbut a lot of guest musicians (M. Ward's voice can be recognized on the track "Aaaa(3)" ).

In 2006, he helped produce and contributed a song to theJohn Faheytribute albumI Am the Resurrection.He also appears onNorah Jones' albumNot Too Late,performing backing vocals and guitar on "Sinkin' Soon",and toured as the opener and a member of her" Handsome Band "for the album in the spring of 2007. Also his cover ofDavid Bowie's song "Let's Dance"is featured on the soundtrack of the 2007New Zealand filmEagle vs Shark.Ward was previously a member of the bandRodriguezwithKyle FieldofLittle Wingsand Mike Funk ofEchodrone.Their albumSwing Like a Metronomewas released in 2000 and produced by Jason Lytle ofGrandaddy.

Songs or compositions written by M. Ward have been recorded or performed by: Bright Eyes ( "Seashell Tale" ), Feist ( "Post War" ), Cat Power ( "Sad Sad Song" ), Carrie Rodriguez ( "Eyes on the Prize" ), Grandaddy ( "Fishing Boat Song" ), Lloyd Cole ( "Chinese Translation" ), Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings ( "One Life Away" "Fuel for Fire" ), Norah Jones ( "Lullaby + Exile" ), and She and Him ( "Magic Trick" ).

In 2013, Ward contributed guitar work to theNeko CasealbumThe Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You.Neko noted on her September 2, 2013, appearance onComedy Bang! Bang!that Ward not only contributed but was "paid in full".

Selected discography

Main article:M. Ward discography

Solo albums

• Duet for Guitars #2(1999)
• End of Amnesia(2001) (reissued 2013)
• Transfiguration of Vincent(2003)
• Transistor Radio(2005)
• Post-War(2006) (#146 U.S.)
• Hold Time(2009) (#31 U.S.)
• A Wasteland Companion(2012) (#21 U.S., No. 106 U.K.)
• More Rain(2016)
• What a Wonderful Industry(2018)
• Migration Stories(April 2020)
• Think of Spring(December 2020)
• Supernatural Thing(June 2023)

EPs

• Scene from No. 12 (I Ain't Sleeping)(2000)
• To Go Home(2007)

She and Him

• Volume One(2008) (#71 U.S.)
• Volume Two(2010) (#6 U.S.)
• A Very She & Him Christmas(October 25, 2011)
• Volume Three(May 7, 2013) (#15 U.S.)
• Classics(December 2, 2014)
• Christmas Party(October 28, 2016)
• Melt Away: A Tribute to Brian Wilson(July 22, 2022)

External links

• M. Ward's homepage
• Matador Records infopage
• Merge Records infopage
• ANTI Records infopage
• M. WardatIMDb
• M. Warddiscography atDiscogs