A little bit of Bob Dylan, and a little bit of Morrissey: That could summarize singer/songwriter Chris Ward (http://www.chriswardmusic.com) right there. But the story isn't over yet. Ward likes to colour his guitar-driven pop with a dash of world music, utilizing congas and fiddles to open up the groove. Ward flirts with folk rock without fully giving in to it; the various influences that his songs reveal prevent him from being stereotyped.
On "Always Something Going On," Ward is a dead ringer for the now late, lamented Go-Betweens. As the jangly riffs suggest Johnny Marr in his Smiths prime, Ward's winsome vocals unveil the Ghost of Go-Betweens Past. And that isn't the only '80s echo on here. The opening of "Traffic" recalls the vocal melody of Love & Rockets' "Haunted When the Minutes Drag" so much that I initially thought it was a cover; even when I discovered that it wasn't, the resemblance was so uncanny that I found myself humming Love & Rockets' lyrics, creating a strange lip-synching session. But any artist who can compared to the Go-Betweens and Love & Rockets, even momentarily, is worthy of recommendation in these glum rock & roll days.
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Ward constantly surprises, whether it's with the jazzy sax that ends "Traffic" or the reggae rhythms of "The Reason Why We're Living (Is Love)" or the fiddling in "Pool of Light" and "In Our Hearts."
Ward is certainly not your typical indie artist. He goes beyond the singer/songwriter framework, making sure his music is as interesting as his words.
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