Album Review: ELERI WARD: KEEP A TENDER DISTANCE is a Sequel That Lives Up to the Original
N KEEP A TENDER DISTANCE, Ms. Ward has taken a large artistic leap forward from her previous collection of Sondheim. A PERFECT LITTLE DEATH was recorded in the middle of the pandemic in Ward’s home studio and contained 13 songs utilizing mostly just her solo voice and a guitar. The new album feels like an entirely more collaborative affair. There are a plethora of instruments and lots of backup vocals (even though many of the voices are Ward herself.) Her technique has grown sharper, both as a vocalist and an instrumentalist, and her emotional range is deeper and more on target.