From the deep freeze of Moscow . . . Idaho, comes folk troubadour Josh Ritter. This talented musician continues to push the boundaries of the folk genre on his new album, the Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter. “Conquests” is an adventurous album, with pounding piano, stream-of-consciousness lyrics, and epic, world-breaking ballads. The album has received very favorable reviews among the music industry,
Biography of Josh Ritter
Born Oct. 26, 1976 to two neuroscientists, Ritter did not pick up the guitar until age 18. Actually, Ritter first tried to play an old lute which his father owned before abandoning the instrument and buying a guitar from K Mart.
Ritter attended Oberlin College in Ohio, seeking to become a scientist like his parents, before creating a music-based independent study course to follow. Thus is the beauty of Liberal Arts schools.
After graduation, Ritter spent some time in Western Europe before returning to the states. His time in Europe would later be reflected by his popularity in Ireland, where he tours often.
Ritter’s first album, the self-published Josh Ritter which came out in 1999, failed to make much of a dent in the industry. However, he quickly broke through in 2000 with his second album, The Golden Age of Radio. His album Hello Starling, with its melodic, catchy tunes like "Snow is Gone" and "Kathleen" announced his presence to the entire Adult Alternative scene.
In the eight years since the release of The Golden Age of Radio, Ritter has released four full albums and five Eps.
The History and Review of “The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter”
The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter was released in late 2007, and has gradually picked up steam and glowing reviews for the past year. According to Ritter, this is his most adventurous album to date, an extreme divergence from his previous album, The Animal Years.
“I was tired of writing with the guitar," he said when asked about the creation of his album. Instead, “Conquests” was composed on an upright piano in a Maine farmhouse. Did the frigid Winter and isolation help create the new sound? Only the rafters in the farmhouse know for sure.
Josh Ritter Discography
- Josh Ritter (1999)
- The Golden Age of Radio (2000)
- Me and Jiggs (2002 EP)
- Come and Find Me (2002 EP)
- Hello Starling (2003)
- Four Songs Live (2005 Live EP)
- The Animal Years (2006)
- Good Man (2006 EP)
- Girl in the War (2006 EP)
- In the Dark--Live at Vicar Street (2006 Live)
- Live at the Record Exchange (2007 Live EP)
- The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter (2007)
- Live at the 9:30 Club (2008 Live EP)
Josh Ritter is currently on tour in Europe until the end of the year at least until the end of 2008. When he returns to the States, make it a point to see the man live.
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