Customer Reviews

The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Guitars jangle. A piano ripples incongruously. And that's all the warning you get before "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter" blasts into music so alien to Josh Ritter that you might reasonably think there's been some identity theft here.

On this CD, the lyrics are murky and convoluted; on most of the songs, the music rules. The last time I heard a drummer hit this hard was four decades ago in San Francisco, and that poor speed freak was still flailing when they carried him off. The guitars slash. The string section, to steal a line from one of the songs, is "screaming like horses in a barn burning up." And yet none of it's quite sufficient: "I put a whip to the kick drum/But the music's never loud enough."

I was sufficiently unnerved by "Conquests" to request a sitdown with its creator. In that interview, Josh made it clear why he'd confounded expectations --- because he needed to. For if ever a CD had generated expectations, it was "Animal Years". The public loved it. Critics loved it even more; writers who didn't see Josh Ritter as the next Dylan suggested he just might be the next Springsteen. Can we talk about a burden?

"People start to believe their reviews," Josh told me. "And the last thing I want to be is another Bob Dylan --- I don't want to be anything to him. What's the point? Sure, poetry is super-important to me, but these songs have another character. They're more about being confident that I can do this."

Josh is self-deprecating, so he calls the music on this CD "nerd rock". He's right, in a way; at his shows, pretty young things will never throw thongs at him. Anyway, this CD's too varied to provoke mania --- in addition to the rockers, there are slow songs, a goofball song about lovers in a missile silo, a delicate instrumental and a hearty singalong.

Still, three rockers lead off the CD, with more dotting the sweeter stuff. And it's the rockers that --- cleverly sequenced on your iPod --- last just long enough to make the cardio part of your workout more fun than you ever thought it could be. This is, I can tell you, as useful a CD as anything you'll hear in an aerobics class.

This CD also invites you to play games.

The first is "Name That Tune", for the music liberally quotes rock's greatest hits. I'm no scholar, but I heard snatches of "London Calling" by The Clash. "My Sharona", Paul Simon's "Duncan", "Obladi Oblada" from The Beatles, plus John, plus Paul, The Beach Boys and even the background of the disco hit "Ring My Bell". Can you find those references? Did I miss any?

Another game is Memorable Lines. The first few times you play "Conquests", zingers come at you almost randomly. I found myself, hours after, smiling at the cadence of "I love the way she looks in her underwear" and "The comedy of distance, the tragedy of separation" and --- from the singalong --- "Don't let me into this year with an empty heart." But then, with repeated listening, other lines emerged: "She'll know me by the sound of my longing" and "Each silver lining is a crown of thorns" and "Did you look up at the stars and feel something for the constellations?" And then I saw that there were levels and levels to this CD, and that if you stayed with it long enough, you might just find yourself back in the Ritterland you know, the one where spirituality and romanticism and Josh's signature emotion, generosity, are effortlessly linked.

Many listenings in --- you may not need as many as I did --- "Conquests" inspired me. On this CD, a talented guy takes a flying leap into the unknown, and his experiment turns out to be a total triumph. Makes you want to raise a fist and cheer. And more: It returns you to yourself. It challenges you to bring your warehoused dreams down from the attic, to take some flying leaps of your own.

If "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter" turns out to be, like "Animal Years", the CD of the Year, it's not just because of the brash, self-confident music --- it's equally because, in a dark time, it's a gorgeous, steady light.

The more I listen to "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter," the more I like it. The opening track "To the Dogs Or Whoever" has a machine gun lyric shooting out faster than Bob Dylan's lyrically packed tracks with Ritter singing zoom style, "I love the way she looks in her underwear; I lose my page then the plot then the book then I swear; She makes the most of her time by loving me plenty; She knows there'll come a day when we won't be getting any." "Mind's Eye" tromps out with a beat like a transformer clomping on cars. "Right Moves" sounds like a slightly bent pop song that wishes it were released in the golden age of radio. "The Temptation of Adam" contrasts the sweetness of a Paul Simon folk song with an apocalyptic lyric, "I never had to learn to love like I learned to love the Bomb." "Open Doors" is catchy with a thin drum sound that makes it sound as if it was pounded out in the garage. "Rumors" delights with a slightly tango-flavored beat and Ritter pushing the lyrical boundaries, "My orchestra is gigantic; This thing could sink the Titanic; And the string section's screaming like horses in a barn burning up." "Edge of the World" is a brief instrumental inserted about the middle of the set. The CD concludes with my two favorite tracks. "Empty Hearts" is a polished pop song while "Wait for Love (You Know You Will)" is a more full band arrangement of track 8 with its catchy chorus. While my package did not come with a bonus disc, this set shows growth from this very talented Idaho singer with each track unique. Bravo!

purchased "The Historical Conquests..." three weeks ago on Amazon, my enjoyment and appreciation increased with each play....music, lyrics and performance are pure inspiration, evokes some of my favorite musicians but is at once singular and unique (to my ears); not having heard any of his earlier work (except for the 30 second snippets), I was taken by his ingenuity and originality of the lyrics........had to see him in person with wife and cousin at Westport, Connecticut on October 8th......he simply and totally blew us away! inspired performance, it felt like it must have been the most energized and inspired performance of his life (which is probably true for all), small and sedate audience had no impact on his energy.....he seemed to lift the entire room up and with plenty of reserve, I found Josh Ritter to possess amazing charisma, energy, and he seemed genuinely ecstatic to be with his audience....after the show he was unbelievably generous with his fans (autographs, pics, etc)...(can't fail to mention a great and talented back up: bass, keyboard, drums, and horns are absolutely perfect together)..."Old School Freight Train" opened for Josh and joined him and his band in a great finale....did not intend to write this review....came to Amazon to order his earlier work ("The Animal Years"). I've been captivated by some artists and moved by their art (Dylan, Lucinda Williams, Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch,...)but my appreciation for this artist is one of the most exhilarating......great singer, songwriter, performer, human.....next concert: Josh Ritter at Webster Hall, NYC, November 9th....then NYC Metro Museum Art April 12, 2008.

First of all I second everything the earlier review said. This is a great album with a lot of sides to it.

I came upon Josh Ritter as about 2 years ago and the first album I heard of him was Hello Starling which I think is a real gem. Later I got The Golden Age Of The Radio, his first proper album (there's a self titled debut though, which is only available online and I have to check that one out, too) and it turned out to be a highlight as well.
These two albums where mostly acoustic singer/songwriter-style stuff. Then came Animal Years which was quite a turning point, especially in terms of sound but it was a damn good record.
So how could I hope for keeping up that quality of work? I really could only hope for that but Josh Ritter surpassed my expectations once again.

The album starts off really raw and distorted, almost in a punkish way. To my biggest surprise these songs work absolutely brilliant, they make so much fun. Of course the songs are not monotonous and vary a lot in their style.

All in all I can really recommend The Historical Conquests ... to every music-loving person on this planet. And Josh Ritter fans will be very very happy with this new album.

The only sad thing for me is, that he never ever tours aroung my neighbourhood (Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic).

Buy and enjoy this great piece of music.

There appear to be two opinions among reviewers about "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter." The first revels in the frenetic lyricism and newfound multi-instrumental approach propelling songs such as "To The Dogs or Whoever". The second questions the manic and seemingly tossed together arrangement of those same songs. In other words, those of the first persuasion tend to frame the album as an adventurous evolution while those of the second persuasion tend to frame the album as a radical, unfocused departure from Ritter's previous work.

Neither opinion accounts for the interesting and all too uneven texture of this album. Lyrically, the songs are dense, alternatively fascinating and, on occasion, far too self consciously Dylanesque. Nevertheless, Ritter breaks compelling ground on cuts like "The Temptation of Adam," a conflated love story that unfolds in a missile silo. The story unfolds in a world poised on the brink of nuclear annihilation, making this song as unsettling and familiar as it is intimate. The music on this and other tracks is layered, proficient and straightforward. While the approach is somewhat fresh and interesting, it offers few surprises and never quite locates the intensity that would take the listener to another level.

Ultimately, this album feels like the product of a skilled artist who either lost sight of his vision along the way or did not understand how to complete it. The first eight songs are strong and interesting with each one striking out unique territory. From track nine onward, with the exception of the 45 second fragment "Moons," the structure of the album and the songs themselves feel increasingly forced and diluted.

No one said it would be easy to live up to the hype of Animal Years, but I think Josh Ritter has done it! Historical Conquests shows the continued maturation of Josh Ritter. The new album is different than earlier albums, but definitely not worse. On display are different musical styles and creative lyrics. My favorite part of the album is that no two songs sound alike, but there are no duds. Some songs are a little more catchy, while some songs are a little more darker and haunting, but equally as good.

In a music era where originality is rarely found...Josh Ritter is a breath of fresh air. With every album he becomes more refined...I'm excited to see what is next, but in the mean time I'll enjoy this album over and over again!

After The Animal Years, it was fair to say most fans of Josh Ritter had built up massive expectations for a new album. After all, a man who could give the world "Girl In The War", "Good Man" as well as "Lillian, Egypt" all in one cd was no everyday musician. Unfortunately for many artists, following up to such an acclaimed album is often a much hyped follow up that fails spectacularly.

Fortunately for everyone, The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter manages to grab your expectations and your beliefs on what a single man can do with words, load them into a cannon, and blast them through the skies until all you're left with is a dropped jaw and a fervent wish to thank the person who invented the 'repeat' function on your player.

From the opening track (To The Dogs Or Whoever) you're brought to your knees with a rollicking piano, and a Ritter who seems more experienced, but definately more uplifted and hopeful than the Ritter from The Animal Years era. Tracks such as "Rumors" will have you tapping your feet unashamedly in public, while songs such as "The Temptation Of Adam" will move you to the point of being stunned into silence, and a melancholic tone as you consider the extremes of young love and World War Three.

Many have said this album goes in a different album to those past, but I can't agree with that. Alternatively, I believe The Historical Conquests Of Josh Ritter simply manages to go to an entirely new level of excellence, and launch Ritter's obvious prowess and talent into the stratosphere at the same time.

A definate must buy for what must surely be the album of 2007.

Josh Ritter is a singer songwriter who has quickly built a reputation for outstanding lyrics, melody and performances. In Conquests he sucessfully expands his range to rock. This cd will introduce new people to Ritter, while opening new horizons for those of us who were fortunate enough to discover him when he was an unknown opener for Joan Baez and follow his growth since then.

Josh Ritter's songs are amazing. He's clearly studied many of the great songwriters (Bob Dylan, Springsteen, McCartney, The Band, Elvis Costello...etc.) but somehow finds a way to make it all sound fresh. At the beginning of this album I was convinced I was listening to Highway 61 Revisited (nice opening little blues guitar with organ...he owes Dylan some royalties there!) but once he started singing, the song went places I didn't expect. His voice is excellent--he can sing rockers and quiet folk songs and have you equally enthralled. As some reviewers have mentioned, the 'bonus EP' should really be called a 'bogus EP'...it sucks...but the "real" album completely makes up for it. If you have an appreciation for witty, catchy, well-written songs, Josh is your man...I hope he keeps doing this for many years to come.

I am very much in love with Josh Ritter. He is truly an intelligent musician and song writer. The track "Rumors" is my favorite, but I do enjoy every track on the album--which is somewhat rare.

The bonus EP, which is maybe only found on Amazon, is also highly enjoyable. If you like folk-rock you really should give Josh a listen. I'd rate this album equal to or slightly better than Animal Years. Folk-rock fans should be required to own both albums.

I'm going to see Josh play Pittsburgh in Oct. for his tour for this album. Can't wait.