I'll be frank. Over the years, I've had a somewhat love/hate relationship with Matt Ward. He, without question, possesses an uniquely timeless voice whilst his ditties float along crackling, hissing analog radio waves from a time, long ago. I remember when I first heard Transistor Radio and fell hook, line and sinker for the warmth and intimacy it exuded. But in small doses I hasten to add. Too much, I realized and I'd be grating my teeth to dust alá The Joanna Newsom Syndrome. I gave his previous offering, Post War, a couple of spins before resigning it to the "Good, but not OMG must include songs on future mixtapes for pretty girls" shelf. It was safe middle of the road territory for such a talent and unsurprisingly propelled him into mainstream acclaim as a result. Finger crossed, Hold Time will be more memorable, if not more challenging.On first impressions it has all the ingredients to be a goodie. Mixed by producer and multi-instrumentalist Mike Mogis, and with guest appearances by Lucinda Williams, Zooey Deschanel (soon to be Mrs Ben Gibbard), Rachel Blumberg (Her from The Decemberists), Tom Hagerman (Him from DeVotchka) and one of my personal heroes, Jason Lyttle (Him from Grandaddy - insert heart icon here). However, namedropping an impressive list of the collaborating artists does not a good record make. Thankfully though, Hold Time happens to have some pretty darn good tunes. From the gentle swinging and sweeping orchestral score on 'Jailbird', to the luscious twinkles of 'Stars of Leo'. One instant track which stood out for me is also the subtle title track. It's a slow burner, cloaked in iridescent washes of electric keyboards and soothing strings as Ward aches about hanging on to those special moments of now and yesteryear. It really is quite sublime.It's clear that the tone of the record is more care-free, more content and, well, just darn more louder than we've previously heard. However, it soon becomes clear that nothing has pushed Ward out of the safety of his comfort zone. The best songs seem to be the covers he performs in a tribute for his deep appreciation for Americana circa 1950s and early '60s (clearly forgetting the sheer brilliance of the mid to late 80s!). A dreamy rendition of Buddy Holly's very own 'Rave On', one which features his She & Him partner, Zooey Deschanel. Elsewhere, melodies seem hard to come by, and the lyrics less profound to an extent where they can sometimes be cringe-worthy. One which springs to mind is the Jackson Five style "A,B,C just like 1,2,3" in the swaggering, stomping 'Never Had Nobody Like You'. And later, 'To Save Me' (that one with Jason Lytle) seems far too over the top for it's own good with it's saloon-esque piano chugs, frantic pounding drums and a flurry of layered vocals almost drowning him out.These lounder songs make you realise that Ward's strengths actually lie in the subtle, more tender songs and in the laid-back nature of his performance and delivery. The excellent Don Gibson's 'Oh Lonesome Me' cover is one of these moments where he's onto a winner. A slow paced number where Ward's achey voice is at the very centre. It harnesses that powerful raw energy but with the utmost simplicity. Sure, long time fans and admirers will stay appeased with Hold Time but newcomers should perhaps investigate his earlier output for a richer M. Ward experience. 67%M. Ward on MySpace