Like most M. Ward albums, there's a great balance of lushious slow balladry and upbeat rockers with heavy nods to the radio and radio transmissions. Similar to past records like Hold Time or More Rain, supernatural thing acts like a cozy, celebratory record featuring many surprises despite this being his twelfth solo release.
M. Ward's back at it again with his twelfth solo album, titled supernatural thing, stylized in lowercase this time.... hmm? I won't go too heavily into who M. Ward is since this is my umpteenth review of an M. Ward album but notably his precense in the singer songwriter / indie folk scene of the 2000's hasn't gone unnoticed and his contributions with Zooey Deschanel as She & Him certainly put him even more on the map commercially. The now 50 year old singer, songwriter, and producer still has a lot to say lyrically and instrumentally too. Judging by the early singles alone, supernatural thing was going to be another wash rinse repeat M. Ward record with solidifying melodies, excellent guitar playing, and pretty production. That is still the case but overall this might be one of his most varied releases yet, complete with numerous guest spots ranging from First Aid Kit, Shovels & Rope, Neko Case (a common collaborator and companion to the scene), Scott McMicken, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and more.
Like most M. Ward albums, there's a great balance of luscious slow balladry and upbeat rockers on here, compiled in a track list that treats it as a fun experience to listen to either in chronological order or on shuffle. There are also heavy nods to the radio and radio transmissions, which probably shouldn't be a surprise considering the radio being a huge inspiration for Ward growing up and how clear the influences have been throughout his entire career. Similar to records like More Rain or Hold Time, supernatural thing acts like a cozy, celebratory record featuring many surprises as well. There's "Mr. Dixon," a song that features vocoder, an oddly chugging guitar, drum machine beats, and even frog samples, making it possibly Ward's weirdest song ever. On paper this might sound like a disaster waiting to happen, but on record it's a very fun, enjoyable highlight. We also have a nearly instrumental rendition of Bowie's "I Can't Give Everything Away" that sounds absolutely gorgeous, featuring a horn heavy lead from Kelly Pratt.
Some are typical M. Ward coziness like the opening "Lifeline," which like a lot of his tracks is about his confidence, strength, and passion within his relationship. The album's title track is about an actual dream Ward had where he was having a smoke with Elvis Presley, and he gave him some sweet advice: "you can go anywhere you please." At first I felt like he played it too safe but with time it's now a classic to me. The two tracks that feature First Aid Kit really have the duo stealing the show, being "Too Young to Die" and "Engine 5." Both feature the duo's excellent vocal harmonies and chops and also feature the best instrumentals and songwriting ("too young to die, think I heard that from an old guy"). Overall this is another great album by M. Ward and that's really not a surprising statement considering M. Ward's consistently great track record over the years. There's plenty of variety, charm, warmth, and joy emmitted onto my headphones that I really can't say no to it.
It's M. Ward and honestly how can you not if you already love his aesthetic?
My Rating: 8 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Too Young to Die," "Engine 5," "I Can't Give Everything Away," "Supernatural Thing," "New Kerrang," "Mr. Dixon"
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