Backed for the first time by a full band, M. Ward has marked the release of his fifth album by giving up his best effort yet – an instantly accessible collection of actual, completely wonderful SONGS. Where previous release Transistor Radio tried hard to do the same, Post-War is the real deal.

Crazily enough, the obvious comparison for M. Ward on Post-War is Johnny Cash – his vocal delivery on opener “To Go Home” are a dead-ringer for the Man in Black, particular with a biting line like “If I ever I treated you mean the only reason is because I’m sorry I couldn’t have you for my own”. A mariachi beat is used on the introduction to “Right in the Head”, before the song opens up to reveal its rock heart.

For the most part, Post-War beats strongly with an aggressive bent that M. Ward has never really displayed before. So while the title cut, the waltzing “Eyes on the Prize”, and the charming “Rollercoaster” are relatively sedate, “Requiem” is immediate and direct, while “Chinese Translation” is an immediate toe-tapper with a propulsive beat. “Magic Trick” is as close as M. Ward has ever come to writing a perfect pop song, beginning with a baying crowd then having a killer chorus.

Post-War has such a genuine feel to it, which is not to say that Transistor Radio did not, but that this album is that much more rounded and complete than its predecessor. Save for the wavering “Rag” instrumental outro on “Afterward/Rag”, the consistency of the quality of the songs on this album is what makes it such a standout release. There’s not a real flat moment, with everything balanced and brought together in a fluent fashion.