Yet another manifestation of the ability of M. Ward to record pure audible beauty, ‘Hold Time’ is, not unpredictably, addictive on first listen. Having been a regular member in the arsenal of such established artists as Bright Eyes and Cat Power, as well as an artist in his own right, this guy just gets better. Listening to his latest release is like coming to realise just why the indie royalty of America clamours to add a touch of Ward to their work. And it’ll come as no surprise that Mike Mogis has made a contribution to the record.
‘For Beginners’ sets off the album with pretty acoustic riffs, lyrics with a distinctly Old Testament slant (talk of ‘original sinners’ and ‘Mount Zion’), sung in the characteristic Wardian drawl that could tell any story with conviction.
Elsewhere, there’s more than a hint of Belle & Sebastian in ‘To Save Me’, with bounteous ‘dah doo doo’s, keys and mandolin. All very Mark Lanegan, but that’s by no means a bad thing.
Let’s have no talk of stand-out tracks, here, ‘Hold Time’ is one stand-out album and deserves to be played on repeat across the land, at least until the Omaha affiliation gives us a new release to enjoy endlessly. And it’ll most likely have M. Ward among its credits.