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Saturday, May 8, 2010

You Should Know About Josh Ritter


I've previously discussed the ongoing musical argument between my father and I here and here. As a result of my father's limited musical tastes, he rarely listens to new music, no matter how many times I mention that I really think he would like Local Natives or Ra Ra Riot (update: he doesn't like them). However, there is one new artist that has been able to break through Dad's stubbornness. In fact, I'm pretty sure Dad has a full-on man crush on Josh Ritter.

In my opinion, Bob Dylan is the man when it comes to songwriting. You know how his songs tell stories? Josh Ritter writes songs like that. In a musical environment where short and vague are the current lyrical trends, Ritter's songs are littered with lengthy verses and SAT verbal section caliber words. The complaint that most people will have with his music is that it's too one-note and that note is too slow/serious but I don't have this issue. I get lost in the narrative of "The Temptation of Adam" (my favorite), a song about finding love in a nuclear bunker during WWIII (beautifully pronounced "double-you double-you eye eye eye" in the performance/recording). The rhymes are genius and the last line never fails to give me goosebumps (go listen, I'm not giving it away)! And anytime my father, brother, and I have an impromptu acoustic jam session, we play "Kathleen" at least twice.

Ritter is currently touring and selling out venues across the U.S. in promotion of his newest album So Runs The World Away. Dad has discovered Ritter's website and mailing list and excitedly emails me every time he receives an update. The latest tidbit Dad unearthed was that Ritter lives in Brooklyn, so I have a feeling he'll be wanting to visit a bit more often. He's also enthusiastically purchased tickets for the whole family to see Ritter's DC tour stop at the 9:30 Club. The blog's going national y'all.*

*I've never said "y'all" in my life, but I'm writing this in Nashville so it's OK.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Resurrected!

I've been horrible at updating lately...but I have been writing. So please excuse the very late next few posts. They will be (pre?)dated so as to appear timely.

Forgive me?