Not only was M. Ward's Post-War my favorite disc of 2006, "To Go Home" was my favorite song. So it came as a more-than-pleasant surprise to find Merge Records releasing it as a CD single (no less than seven months after Post-War's original release). Even better, the single is accompanied by two new Ward compositions, the honky-tonk-inspired "Cosmopolitan Pap" and the melancholy piano ballad "Human Punching Bag." The mini-disc concludes with a rousing cover of Jimmie Dale Gilmore's "Headed for a Fall" that fits in nicely with the epic style of Ward's best efforts.
The singer-songwriter has been touring with Norah Jones and gaining plenty of exposure to mainstream audiences. He's a major-label deal away from being a staple of the Triple A radio format.
