M. Ward's notable for many reasons, the greatest being his ear for subtlety. He's known in pop culture as the other half of She & Him with actress Zooey Deschanel, but in the Northwest, it goes deeper. Ward's built a legion of fans thanks to his slow-burning songwriting, soft husky tenor, and laidback guitar. It's music that channels influences like the Monkees and the Beach Boys. This spring he released his long-awaited eighth release, More Rain. It's feel-good music with a solid core, a guilty pleasure without the guilt. JENI WREN STOTTRUP