“Cadenza has been a labour of love for Nick and features a number of songs that didn’t quite fit with his band sound and has resulted in a more laid-back acoustic, singer/songwriter style album.There are so many highlights to be heard, including the wonderful All The World’s A Stage, which caused a number of his fans to ask when it would be released following it’s debut performance on BBC Radio Wales“.
Welsh singer-songwriter Nick Ward released his eagerly awaited third album last week. Cadenza is a distinctly mellower collection of penned human emotions, Nick’s close community musings are dreamily placed over brightly played acoustics and fabulously warm strings. We were all promised a more simplistic approach to his general song craft and recording style, true to his word Cadenza is casual melodic escapism parading in it’s Sunday best, lyrically inch perfect and thankfully hard to dance to – I asked Nick about this different direction, “I think with Cadenza I was caught between two ideas, I was listening to lot of Nick Drake, and also The Good, The Bad & The Queen album Damon did, this combination influenced it I think. Maybe you can’t hear that influence but they had an affect I’m sure“.
Nick Ward is adamant his musical style will continue to adapt over time – Like Costello, Weller and Cope from my New Wave rose-tinted generation or the politically aware beatnik pioneers from previous decades, he’s eagerly pushing musical boundaries and continuing to avoid the music industries’ easily applied genre labeling. Cadenza is abundant in mood soaked highlights, ‘The Sweetest Pearl’ veers away from the overall acoustic feel of the album, a questionable but easy inclusion Nick explains, “It was recorded at the same studio, but we got caught up in the moment during production. It sounded different just guitar, piano and vocal. The computerized drums are very prominent and the guitar effects don’t lend it to a stripped down acoustic album really. But it’s a good song”. The lead track `All The World`s a Stage` has sustained grandeur, it`s an acoustic anthem with warm bass touches and a delicious fade-out, a commentary that sums up `Cadenza` track to track through creative restlessness and poetic triumph.
Three very different albums and a healthy scattering of radio friendly singles over the last few years have given Nick Ward the scope and impromptu determination to go with the flow. The debut ‘Outside Looking In’ combined sweat soaked Power-Pop and Post-Punk optimism, the semaphore release ‘Pink Bay’ mixed barefoot ballads and social conscience. What’s next? “I’m looking forward to getting electric again“, was a sure sign this extremely versatile Singer-Songwriter from South Wales is dusting off the amplifiers and planning something a lot louder.
07.04.2012 Acoustic Night at The Factory – The Factory – Porth (Solo)
25.05.2012 Nick Ward w/ The Christians – The Globe – Cardiff (Solo)
30.06.2012 Porth Carnival - The Factory – Porth (With Band)
07.07.2012 Music at the Crossroads Festival – Ferris Hill Farm – Hook Norton (With Band)
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[...] Here is another lovely review of Cadenza by a great site called Mojophenia. Check it out here [...]