M. Ward He takes extraordinary advantage of the thirty-five minutes that shape what is his new LP, presenting a total of ten songs, including different variations of his creative profile. In this way, the North American proves his artistic multifunctionality, offering ways that, for the umpteenth time, are concretized around a record that comes back with a generous layer of elegance and good taste as standard.
“Supernatural Thing” opens with the folk nostalgia of “Lifeline”, which finds a logical continuation in the precious “Too Young To Die”, showing another of the specificities of the work in question: the collaborations. In this case, it is First Aid Kit who sing along with Ward himself to complete a silky duet with classic airs and an impeccable appearance. It is one of the jewels of the reference, which gives way to the most pop version of the author in the piece that gives the title to the release and, in addition, shows off a magnificent guitar pluck, linking with another clearly catchy cut such as “New Kerrang”in this case signed with Scott Mcmicken.
For his part, “Dedication Hour” and (the almost instrumental) “I Can’t Give Everything Away” apoint to extreme classicism, with the collaboration of Neko Case and Gabriel Kahane in the first and Jim James (from My Morning Jacket) and Kelly Pratt in the second, while First Aid Kit repeat their appearance in another little gem, in this case of a certain animosity, as it is “Engine 5”. In the final stretch the playful woman appears “Mr. Dixon” perpetrated together with Shovels And Rope, before the delicacy of “For Good” y “Story Of An Artist” finish off the play and certify another remarkable album in the trajectory of Matthew Stephen Ward.
“Supernatural Thing” It is, in fact, a work that with its changes of rhythm spreads much more than what its minute-length marks, being easily enjoyed and at the same time avoiding losing its grip on successive listens. And, by the way, it is also the title that once again reconfirms M. Ward as one of the most reliable and exquisite authors of his generation, clamoring for the Oregonian to be recognized, once and for all, as one of the greats within that stylistic area between pop and folk.