M. Ward

M. Ward plays the kind of folk music that you could expect from a musician writing and performing out in Portland, Oregon, interspersing his songs with neat guitar licks and elegant pop melodies that bring to mind a cultured city. On the singer-songwriter’s new album “Hold Time,” the bucolic passion that imbues the most moving of folk albums makes a strong presence. On the edge of the soundscape are Beach Boys-esque surf-rock melodies and guitar arpeggios that tumble in like the Pacific surf.

“Hold Time” is M. Ward’s sixth solo album and his first since 2006’s politically-tinged “Post-War.” From his debut in 1999, M. Ward has made a name for himself at the national level, bringing his distinctive fingerstyle guitar, lush musical arrangements, and reverb-drenched vocal melodies to a wide audience. In 2008, M. Ward gained even more national attention with “She & Him,” a well-received collaboration with actress and fledgling songwriter Zooey Deschanel.

Deschanel returns as a guest vocalist on this album’s second track, “Never Had Nobody Like You.” While she provides a dainty counterpoint to M. Ward’s forceful vocal performance, what really stands out is the songwriting.

At first listen, “Never Had Nobody Like You” sounds like a simple upbeat pop ditty. With closer attention, however, the incorporation of disparate musical styles emerges. The instances are subtle: the bluesy snare drum break that gives momentum to the transition from chorus to verse, the folksy vocal melismas that make the chorus downright infectious, and the blissful, gospel-esque vocal solo that delivers the song to its outro. M. Ward’s excellent and intuitive songwriting is the glue that holds these various stylistic elements in harmony rather than in dissonance.

On a consistent basis, M. Ward is able to integrate his eclectic instrumentation brilliantly as he does on the album’s best song, “Epistemology.” In the song’s chorus, for instance, M. Ward fields not just a traditional rock set-up with guitars and drums, but an orchestra and a folksy hammer dulcimer. If one listens closely, every instrument can be heard distinctly—the light-speed chiming of the dulcimer, the sweeping musical figures of the orchestra, the tight rhythm-keeping of the rock band—together creating a sublime sea of sound upon which M. Ward’s impassioned vocals sail.

“Hold Time” is less successful when M. Ward tries to combine diverse instrumental sounds into a single song. The issue that emerges is balance. When each distinct sound is allowed its own room to breathe, the results can be breathtaking. When one dominates, the results are tedious.

There are a number of songs on “Hold Time” where one instrument is prevalent to detrimental effect. The title track, for example, is completely awash in lush but lumbering strings that devour the song’s hammer dulcimer and synthesizer. After a couple of minutes, the song has the same effect as sitting in a lecture hall without A/C on a hot and humid day. It’s stifling and sleep-inducing.

“Hold Time” has one other significant flaw: M. Ward loves to record his vocals with reverb. On songs like “Stars of Leo,” everything he sings echoes two or three times. Without a doubt, there are instances where such recording techniques are appropriate; atop the rollicking surf-pop of “To Save Me,” M. Ward’s reverb-heavy vocals help to give the song the expansive, almost symphonic sound that it needs. On M. Ward’s soft folk songs, however, this recording technique can be an incredible ear-sore. One such instance occurs on the unassuming album opener “For Beginners.” All of the instrumentation—the glistening layers of beautiful acoustic guitar and the panflute—are unamplified, giving the song a very mellow and organic feel. M. Ward’s reverb-drenched vocals, unfortunately, feel as alien as bulldozers in an Oregon forest. M. Ward has a fine voice for folk music; why he feels the need to envelope it in reverb all of the time is a mystery.

But “Hold Time” generally prevails in incorporating its distinct sonic elements to serve the holistic direction of its songs. What results is a unique, creative, and diverse musical effort with a handful of absolutely wonderful moments. On the chorus of “Epistemology,” M. Ward sings, “…I roll and I tumble, down the long road I stumble, while shooting in the dark as to what’s best.” Although M. Ward does take his occasional stumbles and tumbles on “Hold Time,” he ultimately does succeed in crafting a vibrant album that can excite and captivate.