M. Ward's Wasteland Is No Waste of Time

If bread is supposedly the staff of life then M. Ward's guitar serves as the musical equivalent. Up swirl so many deep emotions, many tinged with naughty pleasures on "A Wasteland Companion. "I Get Ideas" is downright tribal. Try to listen without getting the urge to strip down to your BVDs. The pauses inserted during the latter half of the track only add to its aural sex appeal. "Sweetheart" also sounds like it would fit right in as part of a country music club's tribute to honky tonk. The song allows M. to flash back to a girl with a winning smile who drove him crazy down Lovers Lane. It'll likely be the cornerstone moment that sparks new boy-girl connections or trips old memories for seasoned wooers. The most gentle caress of all, so far as M.'s guitar goes can be found on "There's a Key". The man's losing one marble at a time but there's a key on the piano he plays for a much valued other. The acoustic guitar billows up to ease the aches of the most fractured soul. On the dangerous side we have "Watch The Show" a ditty you'd think, at least in terms of its late night atmospherics would have Conan, Dave, or both in mind. Peer into the world of the late night talk show who's seen and tolerated and more canned humor than he'd care to remember. Neither your time nor your money will appear wasted checking out "A Wasteland Companion". It wins by a landslide.