• Record Label: Merge
  • Release Date: Aug 22, 2006
User Score
8.5

Universal acclaim- based on 30 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 30
  3. Negative: 2 out of 30

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  1. BradP
    Sep 7, 2006
    9
    M. Ward continues his run with a thoroughly consistent batch of material that follows up on his ideas from Transistor Radio and Transfiguration of Vincent. Great songs that stick in your mind, delivered with one of the most unique voices on the Indie scene today. The production is wonderfully layered and organic, with beautiful rambling guitar noise and a powerful rhythm section. This one M. Ward continues his run with a thoroughly consistent batch of material that follows up on his ideas from Transistor Radio and Transfiguration of Vincent. Great songs that stick in your mind, delivered with one of the most unique voices on the Indie scene today. The production is wonderfully layered and organic, with beautiful rambling guitar noise and a powerful rhythm section. This one earns steady rotation on the iPod. Collapse
  2. MatthewC
    Sep 2, 2006
    10
    His strongest album to date, surpassing even Transfiguration of Vincent, which is quite an achievement. The bigger sound he gets here from a more traditional "band" gives this set of songs a depth that really makes them stick in your mind. Matt's the best young songwriter working today and this album bears that out.
  3. romanmc
    Oct 4, 2006
    8
    Whoever called this "Starbucks Rock" is dead-on, but not everything piping through the speakers at Starbucks sucks. The lyrical ideas are nothing to spend more than a passing minute considering either. But...I'm a sucker for this kind of music. Kind of "Golden" era MMJ with more of an early twentieth century Hawaiian vibe. Immediately enjoyable. Hanging around the house kind of music.
  4. KevinR
    Oct 9, 2006
    8
    A good record, though some of the songs have a very unnecessary feel to them.
  5. Bryan
    Aug 23, 2006
    10
    I certainly hope this album ends up with a score higher than 76. This is most definitely one of my favorite albums of the year. It's beautiful with some truly great arrangements and the songwriting is superb. The title track might be my favorite song of the year so far. This is definitely a must-own
  6. javierm
    Aug 29, 2006
    9
    BRAVE AGAIN!!!...Spain loves u!!
  7. JackPot
    Aug 29, 2006
    9
    With each album, it becomes clearer that M. Ward has one of rock's great voices. It has a certain world-weariness that can inspire feelings of yearning and wonder.
  8. TravisB
    Sep 22, 2006
    9
    This really is an amazing disc. Post-War is my first M. Ward experience but it is so good that I have now gone out and grabbed the rest of his stuff. Easily a top 10 for 2006.
  9. Cables
    Sep 2, 2006
    8
    a brilliant album that simply cant be ignored.
  10. RomiV
    Nov 15, 2006
    9
    A brilliant CD that at first seems strange and hard to absorb. But it then hits you with all it's brillaince and nuances after multiple listens and in every repeat a lyric or line will hit you and have you thinking.... wow what was that?. Immerse yourself in a another quality piece of work from M Ward
  11. AndrewP
    Oct 15, 2006
    8
    This Ward's best album yet. The songs are tighter, his backing band is strong. Really its an 8 1/2.
  12. JoãoC
    Sep 14, 2006
    10
    This fifth record is as good as his previous efforts, but this time he has a wonderful band to give a wider landscape to his songs. Brilliant.
  13. ZakT
    Sep 11, 2006
    10
    Damn good listening.
  14. StuD
    Jan 31, 2007
    9
    Pleasantly surprised. A definite top 10 for '06.
  15. EvanS
    Nov 22, 2006
    9
    Lyrical and lovely - album of the year.

Awards & Rankings

Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 28 out of 30
  2. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Filter
    88
    An album confident enough in its substance to not force profound stylistic changes. [#21, p.100]
  2. 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.
  3. Rolling Stone
    70
    It all sounds familiar but strange, and beautiful enough to suck you in. [24 Aug 2006, p.94]