Ward White
NYC by way of LA Ward White has the world talking about his expansive new album As Consolation that finds the artist pondering the pastoral songs of learned experience, wisdom & innocence on his tenth release. Working with Tyler Chester at Paperchaser Studios, Ward was able to bring together narratives taken from the pages of life imagined like celluloid cinescape scenes.
As Consolation ain’t no consolation prize but features White rolling through big numbers like “Here’s What Happened With Heidi”, the galloping energy of “Crater”, offering up a genuine Los Angelean hymn with “Dude”, to the title track that we are almost certain would make both Scott Walker & the dearly departed Bowie weep with joy. Songs of the southwest kick & strut on “Spurs”, the temporal televised style realities of “Hotel”, reflecting on war stories & silent movie glory days on “Dog Tags”, to carpark rocker “Parking Lot”, offering up the privy views of low key situations & moments on the sultry “Stay Low”. The dramatic tone rises even higher on “Coffee Maker”, as reasons are ruminated upon and moments turn morose like on “Which Pain”, before cascading gently into the vintage singer-songwriter prose of “The Crows” that then guides you to the closing “Weekend Porsche” that rocks & wails with the crooked smile assuredness of renting (or borrowing) a sporty vehicle for your own lost-weekend getaway.
