Welcome back, Ward

Davis delivers on his first studio album since 2020

If you pinned me down and forced me to choose my single favorite current songwriter out there, I think it would have to be Ward Davis. There’s just something about the way he strings thoughts together that always hits home for me. Even when I don’t care for one of his songs, I can still appreciate the craft that went into it.

While it’s been six years since his last studio album, Davis really hasn’t been gone. He’s put out a few live albums, a very personal EP, and he’s stayed busy out on the road. I’ve seen him at least five or six times since he released Black Cats and Crows in 2020, including one of the absolute best acoustic shows that I’ve ever seen back in 2023. (You can read more about that particular show in my review over at SomethingElse Reviews.)

But it’s been too long since we got a full collection of new music from him. Davis himself has been through a lot in that time. He’s gotten sober, gotten married, gotten divorced, lost his father, and probably some other things that haven’t been made public. All of that turmoil finds its way into the music on Here I Am, starting with the opening track “Downright Awful Stupid Beautiful Lie,” which chronicles many of the ups and downs of the last few years and sets the tone for the record.

For those who have seen Davis live recently, some of the songs definitely won’t be all new. Songs like “Found,” “To Tear Myself Apart,” and “Need to Be Still” have already made it to the stage, some having been part of his set for a few years. He also includes his version of “Hurt You,” which was originally recorded by his friend Cody Jinks, who also included “Found” on last year’s In My Blood. Though Jinks made the two songs famous, as with most tunes that Davis wrote and he recorded, I prefer the songwriter’s versions.

Davis’ performance on “Found” is darker, more desperate, and more earthy than Jinks’ take on the song. It gives it an entirely different feel that, to me, suits the lyrical content better. Likewise, Davis’ take on “Hurt You” comes through as far angrier and grittier than the flashier, more rock ‘n’ roll version that Jinks released.

The centerpiece of the album for me is, appropriately, the title track — basically Davis’ darker, more country-fried take on “Sympathy for the Devil.” A lonely guitar strum that wouldn’t be out of place in a classic Western opens the song as Davis introduces his main character, who is, of course, the devil: “I’m in this place, I’m all around/ I’ve been here forever, you should know me by now.” Now, songs from the viewpoint of Satan are nothing new, most famously the one I mentioned earlier, but Davis’ version feels more real and world-weary. It’s an emotional journey, and you get the feeling that it’s from the perspective of a man who has stared him in the face a time or two.

While Here I Am is full of darkness and tear jerkers, not all of the songs are musically so sad. His version of “Stray Dogs and Alley Cats,” written by Harley Allen, is perhaps the most optimistic tune on the record. It’s a classic honky tonk-style number that I could easily see classic country artists like Waylon or Willie doing. He also closes the album out on a more uptempo, if not exactly upbeat note with “Wouldn’t Wanna Be Me Right Now.” Davis shows off his Tom Petty influence on a song that’s a little more rock ‘n’ roll than the rest of the record, and it’s a toe-tapper despite the lyrical tale of loss and woe.

Though there’s a lot of pain, loss, and despair in the eleven songs on Here I Am, it manages to somehow avoid being a depressing venture. While there’s plenty of heartache, there’s a thread of hopefulness not always reflected in the lyrics, but in the way the songs are structured and in Davis’ delivery of them. You get the feeling that this is a guy who has shoveled a lot of shit, but he’s not broken or defeated. He expects to come through it and into better days.

This is definitely an early contender for my album of the year, and it’s just nice to have some new music from Davis. The good news for fans is that he says he’s already picking songs for his next album. Maybe we won’t have another six-year wait for more.