M. Ward Releases New Album ‘Migration Stories’

M. Ward released a new album entitled Migration Stories via Anti Records. The 11-track record was made in Quebec and features songs “inspired by stories of human migration.”

The prolific singer-songwriter worked with Arcade Fire’s Tim Kingsbury and Richard Reed Parry as well as Craig Silvey and Teddy Impakt on Migration Stories. M. Ward recorded the album in Montreal at Arcade Fire’s studio.

M. Ward describes the resulting effort as “11 largely instrumental ballads – a sci-fi fast forward to a more silent night many generations from here to a maybe-era where movement is free again.” He explained the following of the tales shared by friends and family at the heart of each song:

Some time went by, the stories wove together and I remember them now closer to characters in a dream of how people could treat each other than any kind of front-page news realism. I think music subconsciously – whether writing or listening – is a filter for me. Helping to process all the bad news into something new to build from. Some records to me are like self-fulfilling prophecies – visualizing change to wish something into being. Those records inspired this one.

Look for M. Ward to participate in NPR Music’s Live Sessions and to appear on a future episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. Listen to Migration Stories below: