Big Bite

On September 20th, 2024, Michael Ward with Dogs & Fishes will release their latest album, "Brighter Days", featuring 8 songs recorded at Hyde Street Studios. The politically charged album contains nods to blues, classic rock, Memphis soul and above all, a hard to define but unmistakable west coast americana sound.

The upcoming album, "Brighter Days", owes its existence to the life experience of watching the fundamentals of reasonable governance and cooperative interpersonal relations be challenged by social forces. Listeners can hear the world class band accompanied by a unique use of instruments, including n'goni, an African gourd harp, steel pan, riipanic, Brazilian tambourine, seed gourd shakers, tuned gongs, djembe and more, alongside the socially resonant, unifying concept.

First single from the album is out now. The politically charged tune, "Big Bite", explores how society can diffuse this politically charged climate and challenges the current Trumpian model. The raucous speech in the bridge is Mussolini bloviating to a massive rally crowd, an experience which shares an uncomfortable resonance with those of Trump. Having spent 6 years as a full time, anti war worker, with 3 band members serving on the staff at Joan Baez's Institute For The Study Of Non Violence, Michael Ward has been using his musical platform to address the mechanics of fascism, while fighting for democracy for decades.