Pitchfork

Photo by Autumn de Wilde

If M. Ward were a character on the ol' NBA Jam video game, he'd be executing a whirlybird, boom-shaka-laka, fly-off-the-screen, Tarzan-chanting, ball-on-fire dunk right about now, and he'd totally break the glass with it.

But Ward's just a regular joe, with some sublime finger-picking skills and a voice as familiar and welcome as old photographs. Besides, he apparently prefers first-generation hockey video games.

Still, none of this has stopped Ward's indomitable winning streak in 2007. Exactly one week from today, he'll become your mom's new favorite band as he hits the road with a jazz-tinged pop singer named Norah Jones, on a tour that's practically doubled in size since we last reported.

Ward will have to sit a couple nights out in late June, however, as he has a hot date with the Boston Pops orchestra. M. will appear backed by the celebrated ensemble June 26 and June 27, as part of the "Pops on the Edge" series. Both gigs go down at Boston's Symphony Hall.

Not long after that (and maybe even before) you can catch Ward's cameo in Martin Hynes' film The Go-Getter-- which Ward also soundtracked, as previously reported-- alongside folks like Zooey Deschanel and Jena Malone. The film premiered at Sundance a few months back, and its creators are presently seeking a distributor. In addition to Ward classics and some unreleased tunes, the soundtrack also includes cuts from Elliott Smith and the Replacements, and culminates with Ward and Deschanel dueting on a cover of Richard and Linda Thompson's "When I Get to the Border".

Matt and Zooey must have really hit it off, because the gravel-tongued folkie will soon begin working with the honey-voiced actress on an album of her own songs. Pitting Zooey's take on "Baby It's Cold Outside" from Elf against Scarlett Johansson's try at Gershwin's "Summertime", our money's on Zooey for best lusted-after-sorta-indie-actress album of 2007. Who knows though, dark horse Malone could surprise us all.

Ward simply won't stop there, however. Merge will reissue his difficult-to-find early LP Duet for Guitars #2 on July 10, the same day Jealous Butcher delivers it on vinyl for the very first time. The new Duet will include several tracks not featured on the original, Co-Dependent Records version of the album (but found on the subsequent Ow Om Recordings reissue), including "Were You There", "Not a Gang", and "Duet for Guitars #1".

Finally, start scrimping and saving now for a Ward digital charity single-- including a song from the Post-War sessions featuring Neko Case-- out this November.

Duet for Guitars #2:

01 Duet for Guitars #2
02 Beautiful Car
03 Fishing Boat Song
04 Scene From #12
05 Good News
06 The Crooked Spine
07 Look Me Over
08 Who May Be Lazy
09 It Won't Happen Twice
10 He Asked Me to Be a Snake & Live Underground
11 Song From Debbie's Stairs
12 It Was a Beautiful Car
13 Were You There
14 Not a Gang
15 Duet for Guitars #1

The Go-Getter soundtrack:

01 M. Ward - "Vincent O'Brien"
02 M. Ward - "Fuel for Fire"
03 M. Ward - "Look Me Over/Duet for Guitars"
04 Elliott Smith - "Coast to Coast"
05 The Black Keys - "10 A.M. Automatic"
06 The Black Keys - "Keep Me"
07 The Replacements - "Color Me Impressed"
08 M. Ward - "Sweethearts on Parade"
09 M. Ward - "I'll Be Your Bird"
10 M. Ward - "Outta My Head"
11 M. Ward - "Carolina"
12 M. Ward [ft. Zooey Deschanel] - "When I Get to the Border"

Live Ward:

04-13 Wallingford, CT - Chevrolet Theatre *
04-14 Boston, MA - Orpheum Theatre *
04-15 Portland, ME - Merrill Auditorium at City Hall *
04-17 Providence, RI - Providence Performing Art Center *
04-18 New York, NY - Theatre at Madison Square Garden *
04-20 Philadelphia, PA - Tower Theatre *
04-21 Atlantic City, NJ - Borgata Casino *
04-23 Washington, DC - DAR Constitution Hall *
04-24 Greensboro, NC - War Memorial Auditorium *
04-26 Nashville, TN - Ryman Auditorium *
04-27 Atlanta, GA - Tabernacle *
04-28 Asheville, NC - Orange Peel
04-30 Birmingham, AL - BJCC Concert Hall *
05-01 Indianapolis, IN - Murat Theatre *
05-02 St. Louis, MO - Fox Theatre *
05-04 Ann Arbor, MI - Michigan Theatre *
05-05 Milwaukee, WI - Riverside Theatre *
05-06 Minneapolis, MN - Orpheum Theatre *
05-08 Chicago, IL - Chicago Theatre *
05-09 Cleveland, OH - The State Theatre at Playhouse Square *
05-11 Toronto, Ontario - Massey Hall *
05-12 Montreal, Quebec - St. Denis Theatre *
06-01 Morrison, CO - Red Rocks Amphitheatre *
06-04 Kansas City, MO - Music Hall *
06-05 Omaha, NE - Orpheum Theatre *
06-08 Memphis, TN - Mud Island Amphitheatre *
06-09 Tulsa, OK - Tulsa Performing Arts Center *
06-11 Grand Prairie, TX - Nokia Theatre *
06-12 Houston, TX - Jones Hall *
06-15 Austin, TX - The Backyard *
06-16 San Antonio, TX - Majestic Theatre *
06-18 Phoenix, AZ - Dodge Theatre *
06-19 San Diego, CA - Bayside Concerts at the Embarcadero *
06-21 Los Angeles, CA - Greek Theatre *
06-22 San Barbara, CA - Santa Barbara Bowl *
06-23 Berkeley, CA - Greek Theatre *
06-26 Boston, MA - Symphony Hall #
06-27 Boston, MA - Symphony Hall #
06-29 Seattle, WA - McCaw Hall *
06-30 Portland, OR - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall *

* with Norah Jones and the Handsome Band
# with Boston Pops Orchestra, special guests