Despite releasing six acclaimed albums under his own name and one with super-group Monsters of Folk, M. Ward only hit pay dirt recently, by filling the testosterone quota in indie-folk outfit She & Him. Profile duly raised, the Portland-based troubadour’s wisely chosen now to return to the solo career. A Wasteland Companion is a musical travelogue of sorts, recorded in eight different studios, from NYC to Bristol, and features contributions from members of Bright Eyes, Devotchka and Sonic Youth. Sonically, he mixes his trademark, pared-back acoustic blues with some fresh forays into piano-driven pop-rock, implying that staring at Zooey Deschanel’s pretty face all day can lift the spirits no end.