The Daily Growl

The other thing I was listening to before I went to Scotland last week was M Ward’s appropriately titled new EP – To Go Home. Anyone who’s familiar with his excellent Post War album from last year will know and probably love the title track, a cover of a Daniel Johnston song.

Unlike so many single releases, this is no hastily thrown out record just to keep the album in the public consciousness a little bit longer. Like his labelmate Kristin Hersh has already done this year, Ward’s put out a 4-track EP, every song of which is worthwhile. Apart from the title track, there’s the rock ‘n’ roll boogie of Cosmopolitan Pap (M Ward does Johnny Cash?), the lovely piano ballad Human Punching Bag, and a wonderful Neil Young-esque cover of Jimmie Dale Gilmore’s Headed for a Fall, for which Matt assembles an all-star guest list including Neko Case (who also lends BVs on To Go Home), Jim James from My Morning Jacket and Howe Gelb. Does this make him the P. Diddy of the alt-country world?

Download: M Ward – Headed for a Fall

Buy the To Go Home EP and Post War.