M. Ward's 'A Wasteland Companion'

M. Ward is always up for something different between his work as half of She and Him (he's Him) and one-fourth of Monsters of Folk, as well as a noted producer and leader of his own band. "A Wasteland Companion" (Merge) tries to capture elements of all those projects, as well as covers running from Daniel Johnston to Louis Armstrong, in one place. Oddly enough, it holds together thanks to Ward's quiet vocals and spare, folk guitar -- sparkling during "Primitive Girl," which kind of crosses James' "Laid" and Marshall Crenshaw's "Cynical Girl," and the twisted "There's a Key."

"A Wasteland Companion"