Trust the experts! SING OUT! magazine says: "His risky, rapid-fire rhymes, oddball topics and deadpan delivery bring to mind Tom Lehrer and Loudon Wainwright III." And the PASADENA STAR NEWS says: "Like listening to set-to-music entries from an obsessive-compulsive's diary...a really funny one." Phil Ward is one of only a few artists in folk music performing comedy--and probably the only person in folk music doing comedy this twisted and unique. His takes on everything--from romance to English writing assignments to discount pain therapy--will leave you laughing uncontrollably, sometimes while nodding in amazed recognition. Trough Records is excited to add Phil to our roster of unique and diverse Los Angeles-based singer/songwriters. A charter member of legendary Los Angeles-based rock band The High Lonesome from its founding in 1987 through its present state of semi-retirement, Phil has long been a respected member of the Los Angeles Acoustic Underground. EASILY AMUSED is Phil's first solo release, but he's been heard on a number of albums in the past. There are The High Lonesome's two albums, of course; he has also been a guest keyboard player on albums by the band Keep Left and solo artist Greg Wall, and would happily appear on your album for a very reasonable rate. Audiences at music and comedy venues all over Southern California have been laughing themselves silly at Phil's songs for the past few years, and it's high time you brought that same giddy feeling into your home. Or your car. EASILY AMUSED was recorded live at Kulak's Woodshed, an acoustic music hangout in North Hollywood, California. Guest players who lent their considerable talents to the project include Mark Allen and Gary Grantham of The High Lonesome, Russell Smith of Kyler & Tyler fame, and wailing soul singers Pat Dade and Robyn Roth. The songs include some that he's been doing for years (such as the mind-bending "I Am Wearing Blue Bedroom") and some more recent ones (like "Jenny Chow," perhaps the most definitive ode to obsessive love ever written). All of them are pretty much guaranteed to make you laugh out loud, or at least smile knowingly. There is also a song during which an actual live frog appears as a surprise musical guest, which Trough Records believes to be a recording industry first. As if that wasn't enticing enough, EASILY AMUSED contains a bonus studio track which features--aside from Phil on lead vocal and piano--master upright bass player Ritt Henn, classy violinist Rebecca Gray, adorable slide guitarist Silvie Zamora and the entire The High Lonesome doing doo-wop vocals. Don't think Phil won't be milking that connection for all the publicity it's worth. PHIL WARD/EASILY AMUSED. A guy and his guitar never sounded so funny.