Chimpomatic

M. Ward

Hold Time

4AD

If I've counted correctly, this is M. Ward's sixth studio album - not including She and Him, last year's well received collaboration with actress Zooey Deschanel.

What's new this time around? Well, not much to be honest . The honey soaked vocals are still very much to the fore and M. Ward will certainly never lose his understated elegance. Yet despite the Glam drum effect on 'Never Had Nobody Like You' or the Orchestral backing to the title track, it all seems very familiar. You can't help the feeling that Ward has done it before and done it better, notably on 'Transfiguration of Vincent' and the excellent 'Transistor Radio'.

So although it's hard to criticize something that is played and sung so beautifully, it just isn't particularly exciting.