Excellent stuff!
author: Americana UK
Ward White “Lovely Invalids” (Independent 2004)
Quirky pop music is the stock in trade on this EP from Ward White. Opener ‘Don’t Look at Me’ is derivative but has just enough melody to keep it interesting. ‘The Wake’ is a beautiful, if not entirely serious ditty (I hope) about killing someone. ‘One of the Good Ones’ has a great chorus, both lyrically and melodically, and is probably the strongest cut on the EP. ‘Never Let You Go’ continues the theme of punchy melodies and wry lyrics. Closing track, ‘Parked on the Curb’ is the most laid back song on offer here but still the song writing remains strong. Ward White has released a well produced EP containing very strong material. It will be interesting to hear if he can sustain this level of performance across an entire album. Excellent stuff! DW
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author: New York Press
On his new CD Lovely Invalids, Ward White comes across as something of a musical John Cheever, sardonically skewering soulless Manhattan careerists, self-centered squeezes and sell-outs of every stripe. The music falls somewhere between Wilco and early Bowie, punctuated by White’s fast, incisive lead guitar and keyboardist Amy Schneider’s warm, fluid organ fills. Fans of Elvis Costello, Matt Keating and anybody who misses Lloyd Cole’s frequent shows here in the mid-90s should check him out.
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Caution: Addictive
author: QueenoftheDamned
I bought Lovely Invalids at the recommendation of a friend and figured it would be OK. Played it once and it didn't quite hit me, but thought "what the hell, let's go 'round again". Next thing I knew, I had the five song EP on repeat for the next six hours. Ward's voice is comforting and haunting at the same time and has a way of worming its way into you. The Wake is my favorite song on the album - it's light and oh so bitter all at the same time... like the best dirty joke you've ever heard. While Ward's website has free downloads, I'd recommend buying the disk just for that one.
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