Better Than Noodling: Josh Ritter

As the story goes Ritter decided to start writing at the age of 18 after hearing the Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash duet Girl From The North Country and a few years later recorded his first, self-titled album while attending Oberlin College – which coincidentally has spawned a number of indie-rockers including Liz Phair, Karen O and Brian Chase (of the YYYs) and Jason Molina (Magnolia Electric Co. & Songs: Ohia).

Ritter’s wordy tomes have earned him comparisons to Dylan, and musically his rowdier numbers evoke Highway 61 Revisited’s bawdy, barroom romps. Check out this performance of To The Dogs Or Whoever, from last year’s fantastic The Historical Conquests Of… and you’ll see what I’m talking about.

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I haven’t had a chance to check Josh out live yet, but if that’s any indication of how one of his gigs will be, then sign me up.

Ritter also does slower folkie-type ballads quite well too, here’s the video for the gorgeous Girl In The War…

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Josh only has a handful of mostly international dates scheduled for the rest of the year – including two shows in Ireland where he’s quite popular, their is even a Josh Ritter cover band on the Emerald Isle – so you may have to sit tight for a bit if like what you hear.

Further Listening: 2008-05-08 – Market Square – Knoxville, TN

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3 Responses

  1. Josh is one of a kind…def hit him up when he’s around, he doesn’t dissapoint…the guy couldn’t be happier to be up on stage doing what he does.

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