Open Highway Music Festival is back for its 6th year, running from Wednesday, August 2nd through Sunday, August 6th at Off Broadway in St. Louis. This year’s festival features three nights inside Off Broadway, and two nights outside the venue. And it also features some big names. Josh Ritter, who hasn’t performed inside Off Broadway … Read more
Photo by Jason Gonulsen Written by Jason Gonulsen Ever since Josh Ritter picked up a guitar in Moscow, Idaho, he dreamed about playing the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. I only know this because he told us exactly that, early on in his debut performance at the legendary venue this past Friday. And midway through … Read more
Photo by Agatha Donkar (If this seems familiar, it first appeared on my personal blog on 3/4/13.) I am in awe of Josh Ritter; I have been for many years, because he’s the most literate songwriter working today, and he’s funny and awkward and genius, and he’s probably sincerely a complete charming weirdo, and he … Read more
Jillette Johnson is 24, but her songs sound much older. They travel in and out of relationships, like they’ve spent time in the deepest of ditches. Their characters have been abused, yes; but they always fight back, searching for a true identity. Johnson’s voice is sometimes sweet, but don’t let that fool you into thinking … Read more
Well, another trip around the sun. And here we are. Again, we haven’t listened to every release. We haven’t listened to every genre. And we know many of you are probably tired of lists. But, like we mentioned last year, this is all about discovery. And again like last year, with discovery being the reason … Read more
Ladies and Gentleman, we pulled a Bud Selig. We have a tie. You’re just gonna have to listen to both of our #1’s very carefully and break it yourself. In any case, here are The 50 Best Albums of 2013 . . . according to us (with convenient links to stream, because we love you). … Read more
Singer-songwriter-author extraordinaire Josh Ritter, who we interviewed back in April, will be back in St. Louis on Sunday, February 23rd, this time playing a special acoustic show at The Sheldon (w/Gregory Alan Isakov; $25-30). We recently named “Hopeful,” from his 2013 release, The Beast In Its Tracks, one of the 150 Best Songs of 2013. It … Read more
All photos by Jason Gonulsen And she only looks like you In a certain kind of light When she holds her head just right I remember the late summer/early fall nights the most. The way they made me feel, the way the thick heat slowed everything around me — like an immediate fog had warped … Read more
Josh Ritter at The Sheldon in St. Louis | Photo by Jason Gonulsen It’s been winter for awhile The north wind’s wail cut like a baby child’s It was hard to think her smile would bring the springtime If you’re familiar with the song “A Certain Light,” you know the next line is: “But it … Read more
Just because it’s gone don’t mean it’s gone for long Josh Ritter, an American treasure when it comes to songwriting, released his new EP, Bringing in the Darlings, today. The six new songs were recorded and mixed in three days this winter in a Brooklyn studio, and they are further proof that Ritter has trouble … Read more
All photos by Chris Lay UPDATE: Stream/download the full show here, courtesy of Chris Finn. If this was the Cold War we could keep each other warm I said on the first occasion that I met Marie There was no Cold War at Plush last night. It wasn’t “hospitalization hot” or “raining from the ceiling,” … Read more
Josh Ritter at Off Broadway | Photo by Jason Gonulsen In what had to be the (literally) hottest show of the summer last year, Josh Ritter & the Royal City Band and a sold-out crowd turned Off Broadway into a friendly sauna (seriously, people: if you were there, you know that it was cooler outside). … Read more
Album art courtesy of the artist joy to the city joy to the streets joy to you, baby wherever you sleep tonight This week brought us the news that Josh Ritter will release a new LP, The Beast In Its Tracks, in March 2013, and it brought us the first single from that album, “Joy … Read more
Photo credit: Marcelo Biglia Rough seas they carry me wherever I go… The more I listen to Josh Ritter’s latest album, So Runs the World Away, the more I’m convinced it’s about one simple thing: refusing to stand still. So many times in my life I’ve struggled with this notion — to rest on my … Read more
Photo Credit: Brian Stowell The Animal Years is Josh Ritter’s best album. I hear that all the time. I believe it, too. Actually, many people have told me how this album has changed their life. Just have a listen to “Girl in the War,” “Thin Blue Flame,” “Here at the Right Time,” or today’s free … Read more
Long time coming But now The snow is gone How’s this to warm you up, live music fans? In what should be a can’t-miss show, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band will be making their return to Off Broadway in Saint Louis on Friday, July 22nd. This will be Ritter’s first appearance in Saint … Read more
Photo by Jason Gonulsen UPDATE: Download a recording of the show in FLAC or MP3! Links are at the end of the review. If God’s up there he’s in a cold dark room The heavenly host are just the cold dark moons He bent down and made the world in seven days And ever since … Read more
In what should be a can’t-miss show, Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band will be making their return to Off Broadway in Saint Louis on Friday, July 22nd. This will be Ritter’s first appearance in Saint Louis since his last sold-out show at Off Broadway on July 28, 2009, and Speakers in Code + … Read more
Photo by Tim Richmond And in the limp through years of bored schooling She’s accustomed to hearing that she could never run far A slipped disc in the spine of community A bloody curse word in a pedestrian verse Frightened Rabbit’s albums and Scott Hutchison’s words have been with me in the best of times … Read more
Photo by Laura Wilson And give your love freely to whoever that you please Don’t let nobody tell you ’bout who you oughta be And when you get damned in the popular opinion It’s just another damn of the damns you’re not giving It’s that time again: Josh Ritter returns to St. Louis on Friday, … Read more
Photo by Laura Wilson I met someone new now I know I deserved I never met someone who loves the world more than her Josh Ritter’s upcoming The Beast In Its Tracks is a unique breakup album, a Blood On The Tracks without an “Idiot Wind.” Not that it lacks anger — Ritter takes his … Read more
New year, new music. And it’s coming, fast. Can you feel your pulse racing? All those albums that are about to impact your life. Because you know they will; they always do. 2013 will be no different. Here’s what our eyes and ears are on. January 8th Wooden Wand, Blood Oaths of the New Blues … Read more
Photo by Laura Wilson Perhaps the fault was mine Perhaps I just ignored Who you were always gonna be Instead of who I took you for As if it’s any of our business, Josh Ritter’s broken heart will be on full display throughout his new album, The Beast In Its Tracks (due March 5th). In … Read more
All photos by Chris Lay If you missed Josh Ritter’s performance at Vintage Vinyl for Record Store Day yesterday, our digital archivist, Chris Finn, has you covered. He was on hand to record the performance, as well as Ritter and the Royal City Band’s show at Plush later that evening (we’ll have that for you … Read more
Photo by Laura Wilson There’s pain in whatever, we stumble upon If I never had met you, you couldn’t have gone But then I wouldn’t have met you, and we couldn’t have been I guess it all adds up, to joy in the end When Josh Ritter visited St. Louis last July, I had no … Read more
Josh Ritter recorded a new album in New Orleans. It’s called Sermon on the Rocks (due October 16; pre-order here), and our first taste packs a punch like that time Tyson knocked out Spinks in 91 seconds. It waits for no one. Get ready to get down. SERMON ON THE ROCKS TRACK LISTING 1. Birds … Read more
Photo by Laura Wilson Let’s see where the night takes us Let’s see where the night goes In late April of 2014, Josh Ritter traveled to Chicago to play two shows at the City Winery. In between those dates was an off day, and playing across town at the Chicago Theatre was Neil Young, who … Read more
We’re pretty sure this cover of Hedy West’s “500 Miles” will make your day. And if it doesn’t, hey, we tried! Catch a Josh Ritter show, and it just might change your life. Josh Ritter and Dawn Landes – 500 Miles
Photo credit: Marcelo Biglia Josh Ritter has announced that his new album, So Runs the World Away, will be released in Ireland on April 23rd and on May 4th in the U.S. and rest of the world. That’s great news, as Ritter has pretty much become one of my favorite songwriters in the past year … Read more
When I think of Josh Ritter’s greatest songs, “Snow is Gone,” “Girl in the War,” and “Thin Blue Flame” immediately come to mind. I have no problem adding, “Lantern” off his latest album, So Runs the World Away, to that list. “Lantern” is one of those songs that doesn’t need a minute to warm up; … Read more