Sunday Music Spotlight - M. Ward

Welcome to the birth of a new feature here on PCWEI: Sunday Music Spotlight. Each week we’ll pick an artist and tell y’all a little about them, along with some songs and videos. Some of the artists may be familiar to you. Some may not be. Either way, sit back and relax.

The first artist on Sunday Music Spotlight is uber-talented singer/ songwriter/ guitarist/ producer M. Ward.

M. Ward is the elaborate stage name of (wait for it…) Matt Ward. “M. Ward was a nickname I had when I was younger,” says Ward. “It’s more to the point, more formal.” I’m not sure I agree with the formality, but it does look cool on the page. So let’s go with it.

Ward has a knack for creating music that is undeniably original, yet instantly familiar. His latest album, Post-War sounds like it could have been recorded in the late 60s, but still feels new.

Ward’s latest album Post-War was described in a Vanity Fair story of August 2006 as thematic on the question “how will America heal once this craziness in Iraq is over?” Ward said in that article that he looked to the postwar music of the late 1940s and 50s. “I had the naive, simplistic idea that producers and writers and artists of the time helped in a miniscule way to change the mind-set of America”. - Wikipedia

In addition to creating his solo work, Ward works with seemingly everyone in the indie world today. Here’s a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Girl From the North Country” with him, Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes, and Jim James from My Morning Jacket:
Jim James M Ward And Conor Oberst - Girl From The North Country

M has also collaborated with the likes of Beth Orton, Neko Case, Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service, and Jenny Lewis (among others). He even co-produced Lewis’ 2006 album Rabbit Furcoat and appeared on her cover of The Traveling Wilburys’ “Handle With Care” (along with Conor Oberst and Ben Gibbard):
Handle With Care

Now here’s Ward performing my favorite song from Post-War, “Chinese Translation”, live:

Finally, to take us out, it’s Ward and Jim James performing the song “Magic Trick”:
M Ward And Jim James - Magic Trick Kansas City Remix

Well there you go. Hope y’all enjoyed the first Sunday Music Spotlight.

P.S. - Like many of my recent musical discoveries, I first heard him on Filmspotting (episode 135 to be exact). It’s a great podcast about movies, and it usually features killer music. Props to Adam and Sam, from a long-time Cinecrack Addict.