Finally–Him without She (mostly). One of America’s best songwriters and guitar players, M. Ward, will release his first solo album in three years,  A Wasteland Companion, on April 10th.  He (Him?) has many great companions on the album, including Giant Sand’s Howe Gelb (piano), John Parish (percussion, marimba), Bright Eyes’ Mike Mogis (organ), She (vocals), Norfolk & Western’s Adam Selzer (bass), Sonic Youth’s Steve Shelley (percussion), Dr Dog’s Tobey Leaman (bass), Devotchka’s Tom Hagerman (strings), and Oakely Hall’s Rachel Cox (vocals), amongst others.

Ward plays the Hollywood Forever Cemetery tonight and then will be at Soho here in Santa Barbara on April 14th (with fIREHOSE opening!).  Get your tickets quick over at Club Mercy.  The full list of tour dates follows the video below.

Yesterday, M. and Merge Records released a very cool new animated video (directed by Joel Trussell) for his song, The First Time I Ran Away.  The song reminds us of the good ole Transfiguration of Vincent days where Ward’s reverb-laden, world-weary vocals just wash over you and leave you marveling.  Check it out.

M. Ward on tour:

Feb 2 Los Angeles, CA Masonic Lodge at Hollywood Forever Cemetery
Apr 11 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Apr 12 Santa Cruz, CA The Cocoanut Grove Ballroom
Apr 13 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
Apr 14 Santa Barbara, CA SoHO
Apr 16 San Diego, CA Belly Up
Apr 17 Phoenix, AZ Crescent Ballroom
Apr 18 Flagstaff, AZ The Orpheum
Apr 20 Indio, CA Coachella **SOLD OUT**
May 5  Portland, ME State Theatre
May 6  Burlington, VT Higher Ground
May 7  New Haven, CT Toads Place
May 8  Boston, MA House of Blues
May 11 New York, NY Webster Hall
May 12 Philadelphia, PA Union Transfer
May 13 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
May 15 Durham, NC Duke Performances at Page Auditorium
May 16 Athens, GA Georgia Theatre
May 17 Atlanta, GA Buckhead Theatre
May 22 Chicago, IL Vic Theatre
May 24 Minneapolis, MN First Avenue

Jonathan Richman supports 4/11
fIREHOSE supports 4/12, 4/16-4/18
Lee Ranaldo Band supports 5/5-5/22