In hindsight, it is a miracle that Ward White managed to finish his Ward White Is The Matador album. The recording sessions were fraught with discontent, involving plenty of shouting matches and slamming doors. Tempers flared between the noir crooner and his tandem of producers, Graham Norwood and Bryan Scary. The latter wrote choice liner notes for the 10th anniversary edition of the album: "The press might aptly compare Ward to Scott Walker, but I wanted more meat percussion and distorted farts. I believe we largely succeeded, though at the time I did want the record to read even MORE disturbed. This led us to some creative clashes, collisions that have now been driven under the bridge and washed out into the haze of yesteryears." Long story short: apparently White wanted a smoother sound and his producers held out for something more raucous. In the end, neither party could claim victory, but, ironically, the album itself became the winner: smoothness and rawness working in tandem to create something truly remarkable.
Ward White Is The Matador is a collection of snapshots of life in the Big Apple. People love, people hate, people get in trouble, people get laid, people get killed. He is a chronicler with a sharp eye (and sharp wit) who can don the costume of a hardboiled cop (Reprieve), a pleading lover (Chiquita, I'll Make It Up To You) or a night owl chatting up girls in the subway (The Olde Days). His suave vocal delivery packs a punch, using beauty to say something that people don't want to hear. Crooners are not known for going in at the deep end, but White's lyrical depth enables him to be a chronicler, a roving, well-read reporter. It is up to the listener to figure out if he is tapping into his own his life or a bystander at the scene, which might be entirely fictitious, but still comes across as very real indeed.
With this album White garnered some well-deserved accolades ten years ago. It can be seen as the kick-off for an impressive run of releases. As a creator, he got it right from the get-go. Being compared to Scott Walker and David Bowie early on is flattering, but he managed to live up to the expectations. Throw in Russell Mael as an inspiration for his singing and Ray Davies, Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen as his storytelling coaches and presto: an album that is stylish, sleazy, sexy and even a bit dangerous.
Ward White: vocals, guitars
Graham Norwood: bass, guitar and backing vocals on The Olde Days
Everet Almond: drums, additional bass on The Olde Days
Bryan Scary: keyboards, backing vocals on The Olde Days
Eddie Zweiback: percussion
Claudia Chopek: violin, viola, string arrangement on Alphabet Of Pain
Clara Kennedy: cello
Bryan Smith: additional bass on The Olde Days
Ward White Is The Matador (10th Anniversary Edition) is released via Think Like A Key (CD, digital).
Tracks:- Sabbath
- Tumble
- Alphabet Of Pain
- Balloon
- Bikini
- Chiquita
- Dia Luna
- Drive Thru
- I'll Make It Up To You
- Rash
- Reprieve
- Dolores On The Dotted Line
- Salvaged Rose
- The Olde Days
HCTF review of Here Come The Dowsers.