If you have not heard Josh Ritter and like thoughtful well written songs I highly recommend him. He was another discovery through an Uncut Magazine Giveaway CD. The track was Wings off the album Hello Starling. I really enjoyed the song and noted the name so when I saw the album on sale I picked it up. I enjoyed the album which had a few of songs I really enjoyed including Kathleen, Snow is Gone and You Don't Make it Easy Babe. Apparently the album sold well in Ireland and he became a bit of star there.
Fast forward a couple of years and another magazine CD has a new song by Ritter called Wolves from his 2006 album The Animal Years. This time I decided it was worth the investment of buying a new CD and I did not regret it. If anything this is a stronger set including songs such as Girl in the War, Monster Ballads, Lillian Egypt, and Thin Blue Flame. This album was full of religious imagery and when it was released comparisons were made with Dylan. He had certainly stepped his songwriting up a level and I was keen to hear his next release and fortunately he was on roll and I did not have to wait long.
His next album was the livelier The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. It was immediately more accessible with three excellent songs to kick it off, the eccentric To the Dogs or Whoever, Minds Eye and then Right Moves. However there really weren't any bad songs on that one either.
There was a little time before his next release 2010's So Runs The World Away. This was another solid albums with standout tracks being The Curse, Change of Time, Ratting Locks and Lantern. It was after this album that I found myself in Boulder Colorado at a course at the same time Josh was playing at the Chautauqua complex where I had actually stayed on my previous trip to Boulder. So I organised what was a very international group (from Australia, Taiwan, Italy and the US) to go and see him. I did not really know what to expect from him live but we were treated to what can only be described as one of the happiest concerts I have ever been to. He basically smiled for two hours solid and everyone around me wanted to both know what drugs he was on and wanted some too!!!
Between 2010 and 2013 he wrote a book, released an excellent EP, had a marriage breakup and started a new relationship and his latest album Beast in its Tracks reflects that passage of time with noticeably more sombre and bitter songs with also some songs of hope. I am not sure I will come back to this album as much as I do his others but I am still looking forward to his next one.
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