A Wasteland Companion Explained

A Wasteland Companion
Type:	studio
Artist:	M. Ward
Cover:	M. Ward - A Wasteland Companion.jpg
Genre:	Pop, rock
Label:	Merge, Bella Union, Spunk
Producer:	M. Ward
Prev Title:	Hold Time
Prev Year:	2009
Next Title:	More Rain
Next Year:	2016

A Wasteland Companion is the seventh studio album from M. Ward, released in Australia and New Zealand on April 6, 2012; in the United Kingdom on April 9, 2012; and in the United States on April 10, 2012. A Wasteland Companion is the follow-up to his 2009 album Hold Time.

A Wasteland Companion was recorded in eight studios in the United States and the United Kingdom.^{[1] [2] [3]} M. Ward promoted the new album on his 2012 European and American tour, March 20 to May 24.^{[4] [5]}

The album garnered a rating of 75 out of 100 from critics as compiled by Metacritic.^[6]

Track listing

1. "Clean Slate" - 2:51
2. "Primitive Girl" - 3:10
3. "Me and My Shadow" - 2:36
4. "Sweetheart" (Daniel Johnston) - 3:31
5. "I Get Ideas" - 2:39
6. "The First Time I Ran Away" - 3:17
7. "A Wasteland Companion" - 2:54
8. "Watch the Show" - 3:40
9. "There's a Key" - 2:57
10. "Crawl After You" - 3:41
11. "Wild Goose" - 2:35
12. "Pure Joy" - 2:57^[7]

Personnel

• M. Ward – guitar, piano, vocals
• Zooey Deschanel – vocals
• Susan Sanchez – backing vocals
• Rachel Cox – backing vocals
• Toby Leaman – bass
• Tyler Tornfelt – bass
• Mike Coykendall – percussion, bass, acoustic guitar
• John Parish – percussion, marimba
• Jordan Hudson – percussion
• Steve Shelley – percussion
• Scott McPherson – percussion
• John Graboff – pedal steel
• Howe Gelb – piano
• Nathan Jr. Andersen – piano
• Mike Mogis – organ, orchestra bells
• Tom Hagerman – strings
• Amanda Lawrence – violin

Notes and References

1. Web site: Merge Records Store . Mergerecords.com . 2012-04-10 . 2012-08-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120730052936/http://www.mergerecords.com/store/store_detail.php?catalog_id=851 . 2012-07-30 . dead .
2. Web site: Andrew Tijs . M. Ward Prepares His Sixth Album A Wasteland Companion | New Music | Music News . Noise11 . 2012-03-27 . 2012-08-01.
3. Web site: Courtright . Nick . Merry Christmas, Wasteland Companion: An Interview with M. Ward of She & Him, Monsters of Folk, and Himself . Austinist . 2012-03-06 . 2012-08-01.
4. Web site: Steve Appleford . M. Ward Brings Songs from 'A Wasteland Companion' to KCRW | Music News . Rolling Stone . 2012-03-11 . 2012-08-01.
5. Web site: M.Ward Upcoming Shows. March 28, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120306190934/http://www.mwardmusic.com/shows.html . March 6, 2012 .
6. Web site: . A Wasteland Companion - M. Ward . Metacritic . 2012-12-31.
7. Web site: Thompson . Stephen . First Listen: M. Ward, 'A Wasteland Companion' . NPR . 2012-03-25 . 2012-08-01.