M. Ward

Take a long, hard look at the shadowy, stone-faced character on the cover of M. Ward's breakthrough album, 2003's Transfiguration of Vincent. To gaze into his eyes is to catch a glimpse of what makes Ward's music so extraordinary — its nagging sense that a-storm's a-comin'; its ability to transcend time and space like a faded stack of photographs or an radio station broadcasting from beyond the grave; and its unbridled beauty, as delivered in Ward's dusty drawl, whether we're talkin' a brittle Bowie cover ("Let's Dance"), a piano-backed saloon jam ("Vincent O'Brien"), or a string-swept pop song ("Poison Cup"). But Ward's more than a haunted singer-songwriter — as our Next Steps reveal, he's also got a bit of John Fahey in him.

The increasing popularity of M. Ward over the course of his last two albums — Transistor Radio and Post-War — has positioned him as a troubled indie rock pinup of sorts. Which is ironic, considering how arty some of his material is, especially his finger-picked instrumentals. Coming off like Six Organs of Admittance with a clearer pop sensibility, Ward teases sinewy chords out of a Beach Boys tune ("You Still Believe In Me"), delivers a melancholic "Psalm" that truly sounds sacred, and builds a steady drone out of three-and-a-half stirring, pastoral minutes that'll leave you looking for cows outside your window. Oh, and about 1999's Duet for Guitars #2 — debuts rarely get that spare, spooky, or understatedly spectacular.

M. Ward is living large these days, as he tours and records alongside Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, and indie film darling Zooey Deschanel. As brilliant as the totality of his work is, it's also a bit overwhelming. That's why we've skimmed the finest songs from his solo career — a striking series of albums that seem only to get better with age, from the frayed, lo-fi beginnings of Duet for Guitars #2 to the fuller production values of Post-War (the rickety rumblings of "Magic Trick," the moaning slide guitar of "Chinese Translation"). And to fill in any gaps, we've also included a John Fahey tribute (the fuzz-flecked "Bean Vine Blues #2"), a Daniel Johnston cover aided by the steely pipes of Neko Case ("To Go Home"), and much more.