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Post-War
by M. Ward
The singer-songwriter's fifth release finds him backed for the first time by a full band, which includes Rachel Blumberg (The Decemberists) and Jordan Hudson (The Thermals). Neko Case and My Morning Jacket's Jim James guest.
| LABEL: |
Merge |
| RELEASE DATE: |
22 August 2006 |
| DISCS: |
1 disc |
| GENRE(S): |
Indie, Rock |
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
100
Entertainment Weekly
Ward's talents have never been more persuasively showcased. [1 Sep 2006, p.77]
91
The Onion (A.V. Club)
Post-War is easily M. Ward's most accessible album to date, charged with a bouncy spirit.
90
All Music Guide
Post-War is not only Ward's best effort yet, it's one of the best records of the year.
88
Filter
An album confident enough in its substance to not force profound stylistic changes. [#21, p.100]
82
Pitchfork
Post-War isn't perfect, but it's all the more listenable for that fact.
80
Delusions of Adequacy
Whereas his previous long-players were primarily personified by their hushed beauty, dusty experimentation, and nostalgic romanticism, Post-War pushes forward a more boisterous and band-orientated vision for Ward’s sturdy songwriting.
80
Blender
Introducing some very welcome rock rhythms to his blend of folk and fingerpicked Delta blues, Ward’s disarmingly sweet fourth album squeezes big themes into modest but bewitching tunes.
80
Neumu.net
There's more body here, more barroom spill and rollick. There's also a feeling Ward is pushing at the fabric of his music, trying to expand and progress. But the same cinematic mist hovers, the same old, old intimacy fans know well.
80
Mojo
A rich, bright sounding record, albeit etched with Ward's lyrical ruefulness and voice of crumbling, lugubrious regret. [Oct 2006, p.111]
80
Uncut
Ward's sweet, carefree voice is at odds with the urgency of the music. [Oct 2006, p.133]
80
Magnet
The most mature and cohesive set of songs in Ward's catalog. [#73, p.109]
80
Hartford Courant
His best so far.
80
Dusted Magazine
There's a bit of Starbucks gloss to this record, a too-easy-to-like quality that may at first put off serious listeners and music heads. That evaporates pretty quickly, though, as you recognize that its lucid simplicity, its artful artlessness is not a trick, but achievement.
80
Slant Magazine
It's an inventive, sharp delight of a record, and possibly one of the year's best.
80
Under The Radar
On Post-War, Ward is firmly and thrillingly of the present day and thinking ahead both in the allusiveness of the album’s title and the eclectic range of production that makes him absolutely necessary to modern folk. [Summer 2006]
80
Billboard
While he still relies heavily on old-timey melodies and washes every instrument with classic delay, the set feels more alive than usual.
80
Urb
Another impressive and complex recording. [Sep 2006, p.139]
80
The Guardian
His most striking album yet.
80
BBC collective
Ward’s band kick back with a looser, rockier feel than previously, yet his dusty, wistful voice still inhabits an age all of its own.
80
musicOMH.com
It's a rare thing to find an album that is a real, unexpected pleasure to listen to all the way through.
78
Austin Chronicle
Ambivalent, fatalistic, heartbroken, defiantly hopeful.
78
cokemachineglow
He’s made a honed, handsome piece of work, never too arresting and never too fickle.
70
Drowned In Sound
While some tracks don't exude the same kind of enticing mysticism Ward excels at, Post-War remains a warm, enjoyable listen.
70
NOW Magazine
What's disappointing if you're a fan is that the man has his tropes -- both melodic and lyrical -- and stubbornly sticks to 'em.
70
Spin
Brings a welcome grandeur to Ward's honeyed rasp and nimble guitar picking. [Sep 2006, p.114]
70
Rolling Stone
It all sounds familiar but strange, and beautiful enough to suck you in. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]
70
PopMatters
His singing has a presence to it that brings to mind jazz vocalists--someone as unearthly as Billie Holiday, even--but also the grittiness of a deep-South bluesmen. No one else sounds exactly like him.
68
ShakingThrough.net
The material doesn’t resonate, however, and pales next to Ward’s prior effort, Transistor Radio.
50
Playlouder
Whereas previously his songs felt carefully and beautifully crafted, here he seems content to merely plunder a whole host of archaic musical styles and immerse himself in self-congratulatory jams, and a result you end up with a less than satisfying hotchpotch of songs.
42
Stylus Magazine
It’s abundantly clear that Ward is an indie-rock songwriter--a pretty good one sometimes--who doesn’t bring a whole lot else to the table.
The average user rating for this album is 8.4 (out of 10) based on 25 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
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