M. Ward has shared an animated video for the track “Engine 5” feat. First Aid Kit from his latest album, ’Supernatural Thing.’ Directed and animated by Amber McCall, the video harkens back to the days of joystick-fueled play in ’90’s video games like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mortal Kombat and Sonic the Hedgehog.
In addition to First Aid Kit, the album is filled with guest stars – Shovels & Rope, Scott McMicken, Neko Case, Jim James and others — who enliven the album with surprises. Eight of the album’s ten songs are Ward originals, but there is also an unusual Bowie choice, “I Can’t Give Everything Away” from Blackstar, and a live rendition of Daniel Johnston’s “Story of an Artist.” “Bowie and Johnston are constant sources of inspiration for me, have been for I don’t know how many years,” Ward offered.
‘Supernatural Thing’ is M. Ward’s first new music in three years, but in 2020 M. Ward released two albums. On April’s ‘Migration Stories’, Ward was inspired by the immigration journeys he’d heard from friends or read about in newspapers, as well as what his own grandfather had to go through when immigrating to the US from Mexico. For the December album ‘Think of Spring’ he covered classic Billie Holiday tunes, as she is an artist he’s greatly inspired by. “Instead of the small jazz bands or orchestration she relied on, M. Ward pares the songs to just his voice and guitars, making them sound even starker than they once did,” said Rolling Stone.
At the end of July Ward stopped by the podcast of his old friend Norah Jones. Called ’Norah Jones Is Playing Along,’ they begin the episode by playing the ’Supernatural Thing’ track “Lifeline,” followed by other songs new and old.
Just after the album’s release this summer, M. Ward performed a sold-out show at LA’s Hollywood Forever Cemetary followed by a handful of West coast dates with his friends My Morning Jacket. Next week he embarks on a short run of European dates – followed by East coast shows in New York City, Philadelphia and Boston – before a year-ending December run in Australia. All upcoming dates are listed below.
TOUR DATES
10/17 – Bristol, UK @ Strange Brew
10/18 – London, UK @ Bush Hall
10/20 – Paris, France @ Point Ephémère
10/22 – Utrecht, Netherlands @ Ramblin Roots Festival
10/23 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
10/24 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
10/25 – Ardmore, PA @ Ardmore Music Hall
11/3 – Walla Walla, WA @ Grenache Festival 2023
11/29 – Hobart, Australia @ Altar
12/1 – Marrickville, Australia @ The Great Club
12/5 – Hindmarsh, Australia @ The Gov
12/6 – Fremantle, Australia @ Freo.Social
12/7 – North Perth, Australia @ Rosemount Hotel
12/8 – Archies Creek, Australia @ The Archies Creek Hotel
12/10 – Brunswick, Australia @ Howler
