Portland, OR-based singer-songwriter M. Ward (born Matthew Stephen Ward) grew up listening to gospel and country, two genres that figure prominently in his breezy, West Coast take on americana. After a six-year stint with the folk rock trio Rodriguez, Ward began sketching out songs deeply rooted in the classic traditions of American country folk. Ward's first solo effort came in the form of Duet for Guitars #2, which was written and recorded while he was living between Chicago and various locales on the West Coast. Eventually, the album was placed in the hands of the ever enigmatic Giant Sand mastermind Howe Gelb, who released it on his own Ow Om Recordings in the fall of 2000. The record enjoyed favorable reviews and a considerable amount of attention in underground rock circles, and Ward supported it with a handful tours throughout the United States and Europe.

Released in 2001, End of Amnesia helped to further develop Ward's penchant for dusty, timeless narratives and bluesy, back-porch ballads, but it wasn't until 2003's Transfiguration of Vincent that Ward would begin to penetrate the mainstream. His first release for indie darling Merge Records, Transfiguration of Vincent cashed in on the Great Depression obsession of the post-O Brother, Where Art Thou? gold rush, paving the way for 2005's Transistor Radio and 2006's Post-War, both of which firmly established Ward as a major player in the burgeoning indie/alternative rock scene. In 2008, after collaborating on a song for the film The Go-Getter with actress Zooey Deschanel, the unlikely duo released a well-received album of covers and Deschanel originals called Volume One under the moniker She & Him. Ward returned to the studio later that year to begin work on his next full-length offering; 2009's Hold Time, which featured guest vocals from Deschanel, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), and Lucinda Williams, arrived in early 2009. ~ Nate Cavalieri & James Christopher Monger, Rovi