M Ward - Post - War - Alt Folk Rock LP
LP

M Ward - Post - War


Label: Merge Records – MRG280
Format:Vinyl, LP, Album

The vinyl record comes with printed inner sleeve with full credits and long thank you list.

Country: US
Released:04 Sep 2006
Genre: Rock
Style: Acoustic, Art Rock, Pop Rock


Tracklist

A1 Poison Cup 2:40
A2 To Go Home
Arranged By – M. Ward
Songwriter – Daniel Johnston 3:51
A3 Right In The Head 4:12
A4 Post-War 4:55
A5 Requiem
Engineer – Adam Selzer 2:48
A6 Chinese Translation 3:58


B1 Eyes On The Prize 2:37
B2 Magic Trick
Producer – Jim James 1:42
B3 Neptune's Net
Engineer – Adam Selzer 2:06
B4 Rollercoaster 2:48
B5 Today's Undertaking 2:26
B6 Afterword / Rag 3:32

Credits
Bass – Mike Coykendall (tracks: 2 to 4, 6 to 8, 10, 11), Skip Von Kuske (tracks: 1)
Cello – Skip Von Kuske (tracks: 1)
Cymbal – Mike Mogis (tracks: 9, 11, 12)
Drums – Jordan Hudson (tracks: 2 to 6, 9), Mike Coykendall (tracks: 1, 8), Rachel Blumberg (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12)
Engineer – Mike Coykendall (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 10 to 12)
Engineer [Additional] – Mike Mogis, Nick Luca
Guitar – Jim James (tracks: 8), M. Ward (tracks: 1 to 9, 11, 12)
Harp – Mike Coykendall (tracks: 8)
Keyboards – M. Ward (tracks: 1, 2, 4, 5, 9, 11, 12)
Mandolin – Mike Mogis (tracks: 3)
Mastered By – Roger Siebel
Mixed By – Mike Coykendall (tracks: 4, 7, 10, 12), Mike Mogis (tracks: 1 to 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12)
Omnichord – Mike Mogis (tracks: 11)
Percussion – Jordan Hudson (tracks: 7), Mike Coykendall (tracks: 4, 10)
Percussion [Chimes] – M. Ward (tracks: 4), Mike Mogis (tracks: 9, 11)
Piano [Chamberlain] – Mike Mogis (tracks: 12)
Producer – M. Ward
Producer [Assistant] – Mike Coykendall
Songwriter – M. Ward (tracks: 1, 3 to 12)
Timpani – Mike Mogis (tracks: 1, 11)
Triangle – Mike Mogis (tracks: 9)
Viola – Amanda Lawrence (tracks: 1, 11)
Violin – Amanda Lawrence (tracks: 1, 11)
Vocals – Jim James (tracks: 6, 8), M. Ward (tracks: 1 to 8, 10, 12), Mike Coykendall (tracks: 6, 7, 10), Neko Case (tracks: 2), Rachel Blumberg (tracks: 12)


I happened to catch M. Ward in a live performance on "Letterman," and rushed out the very next day to buy the LP. I think the tune he performed was "Chinese Translation," which is among the many standouts on this excellent disc. I would rank this as the second-best release of the year so far - right beneath Neko Case's "Fox Confessor Brings the Flood" (and it's no surprise that Ms. Case herself makes a cameo appearance here - talent tends to attract talent). Trying to place this disc into a genre is a bit difficult, but I sort of like the "lo-fi indie folk" term used by another reviewer. But this is not coffee-house snooze music by any stretch of the imagination. On tunes like "Magic Trick" you can hear echoes of the loose, raucous sound that used to be the trademark of King Bruce and the E Street-ers themselves. Genre almost doesn't matter, though, with music this good. Buy it, slip it into your car stereo and take a long drive - preferably out in the country. I guarantee you'll keep it in your car player for weeks, if not months.

M. Ward - Chinese Translation

pretty much the most honest song in modern history.



M. Ward - Chinese Translation
LIVE



M. Ward - Magic Trick



M. Ward - Magic Trick
LIVE



M. Ward - To Go Home

Two drum kits and bashing piano's back up this relatively unknown classic by the mad genius of pop, Daniel Johnston. Play this at my funeral and dance till it hurts.

It's pleasant to find a musician that actually sings uplifting songs, these days...very nice. Very nice.