After his debut single in September 2017 and debut EP in April 2018, Dean Ward seemingly fell off the radar, with radio silence on his socials. However, coming back with a vengeance in November 2018, he shared on Facebook that ‘a lot has happened over the past half year’, and that he was keen to jump back into his music after a break away from his work. Cue December 10th, and he dropped his newest single, ‘Comfortable’, which proves to be a redeeming return.
‘Comfortable’ boasts some classic singer-songwriter features with the track almost begging to be used in a coming of age Juno-esque film soundtrack. Starting off with a basic mix of a guitar and vocals, the song features some simple moments that are expected of someone presenting themselves as a singer-songwriter. However, the strong vocals and production within the track elevates what could have been a lacklustre experience. The introduction of new instruments and backing vocals to flesh out a distinct contrast between sections helps the chorus stand out as the star of the track. Both punchy and infectious, mostly due to Ward’s impassioned vocals, the chorus really is a standout section compared to the minimalist guitar and vocal combination throughout the rest of the track.
The track is a solid but expected piece of work from the songwriter. However, with Ward being a drummer for both The Mannerly Hoods and The Late Twos, it would be interesting to see him bring those talents more into his personal endeavours. Nonetheless, ‘Comfortable’ makes for a gratifying listen, and paves the way for Ward to continue on.
