M. Ward: Hold Time

Label: Merge

Matt Ward is one of those characters who does things in such an understated manner that it’s easy to forget just how jaw-droppingly talented he is. M. Ward’s seventh album, Hold Time, was written and recorded during his whirlwind 2008, which found him appearing on record, on stages and on televisions alongside Zooey Deschanel as She & Him. These are basic biographical facts but are also key to Hold Time: While the record is very much a part of the M. Ward continuum, he’s clearly more adept with pop hooks than ever before, which only makes his songs—already super-comfortable and warm—all the more lasting and effective. “Never Had Nobody Like You” features Ms. Deschanel and could’ve been on their album, with its hand-claps and big beats; she pitches in on another song as well. But the bigtime guest-vocalist is Lucinda Williams, who appears on the cover of “Oh Lonesome Me,” which’ll kinda leave you in a state of just—wow. On that and the title track especially, Ward and his many friends seem to hold time in their hands, and the world outside just settles into a peaceful pause. (M.L. Thrope)