Few musicians are as wonderful as Josh Ritter. I can say this with confidence becuase I've seen Josh Ritter in concert and to put things simply, the man is a bucket of joy. I might have more respect for Ritter than I do any other man in the music industry because, as someone who spent a good chunk of her adult life going out nearly every single night to concerts, I know how tiring that lifestyle can be. Yet night after night, Ritter can be found on stage, be it stateside or across the pond, where Ritter is immensely popular, giving it his very literal all, bringing a ton of happiness to sold out audiences and doing it all with a grin on his face the whole time.
How lovely of a person Josh Ritter is is sort of beside the point however. It's my belief that Ritter very well might be the best lyricist of my generation. I'm slightly apprehensive to say this, only because there are lyricists out there that I'm sure are extremely talented that I've yet to hear but based upon who I have heard, I'm inclined to say that Ritter is tops.
Few songwriters these days can spin a tale like Ritter. Be it a love story between two scientists, engineering a bomb that could bring about the end of the world ("The Temptation of Adam") or a tragic story of love gone by the wayside ("Best Is For The Best"), Ritter is an expert story teller and I, for one, hope to one day use a Ritter lyric as a pick up line becuase how cool would that be? (I'd totally go for "If this was the cold war we could keep each other warm." because who the heck wouldn't fall for that?) Below, you'll find five examples to back up the statement "Josh Ritter might be the best lyricist of my generation." You're more than welcome to disagree with this statement but I feel as if I proved my case fairly well here.
Josh Ritter - The Temptation of Adam
We can pretend this giant missle is an old oak tree instead, and carve our names in hearts into the warhead.
You're half dead in the street but that just means you're half alive and your heart's still beating.
Josh Ritter - Another New World
So I said, "All I've got are my guts and my God," then I paused, "and the Annabel Lee."
At night, I make plans for a city laid down like the hips of a girl on the spring covered ground.
I would love to link to one lyric from "The Curse" that singifies it's beauty but to be honest, I can't. The song is a love story between a mummy and the archeologist who excavates his tomb. If this song doesn't bring a tear to your eye, I'm sorry to break it to you but you probably have no soul. Read the lyrics in their enteirty here.
Also, Ritter has an amazing segment on his blog called "Making A Life In Music" which is a must read for anyone trying to make their way in music industry.
It's Never Too Early To Get Pumped For Mittenfest!
Mittenfest is hitting Savoy in Ypsilanti, Michigan (That's where the cool kids hang, take my word) and features such amazing local standouts as... Fronteir Ruckus! Chris Bathgate! Lightning Love! Gun Lake! Drunken Barn Dance! Prussia! Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Jr.! And more! Anyone who's spent a while with our weekly "RFC Thinks You Should Know" series will understand that a few members of our staff are pretty excited about this lineup. Here's some audible reasons why you should be excited too...
Frontier Ruckus - Orion Town 2
Chris Bathgate - Cold Fusion (Snakes)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. - Vocal Chords
Single day passes to Mittenfest'll run you a mere $7 and remember: That seven dollars will get you now fewer than 15 bands on day one (Although, to be honest, it looks like day 4 is shaping up to be my personal MVP) and if you wanna make your way to Savoy for all four days of the 'fest, it'll only cost $25 for a wristband that gets you in for the whole shebang. View the full schedule of Mittenfest here and remember: Ypsi is only a few short hours from Chicago! And I know of many couches that can offer a place to crash!
Posted at 11:53 AM in Commentary, Downloads, Show Previews | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Amber Valentine, Chris Bathgate, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Frontier Ruckus, Mittenfest
Reblog (0)