The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter

[Davey]

I love Josh. Got the new one on pre-order, should be shipping pretty soon. What I've heard does sound good. Just hope it's not a Sony brickwall mastering job since it should be a pretty nice recording, done at his buddy Sam Kassirer's Great North studio in Maine, a remote old farmhouse built in 1790. We'll see, can't tell too much from the audio streams. Should easily be one of my favorites of the year. Kinda quirky sounding, but reminds me a bit of that Richard Davies Telegraph record I really like. Lot different from the Hello Starling days, that's for sure!

Pre-ordered it from deepdiscount cause of the great postpaid price, but do now see that a couple places are offering value added deals, like Amazon has it with a 4-song session leftovers EP, and Newbury Comics has it with an autographed booklet. Me, I took the cheapass path :)

[Slosh]

I should have it in about fifteen minutes ;) and I'll let you know how it sounds. The only Josh Ritter I currently have is via comps . . . a song or two from Golden Age Of Radio and Show Me What You Got. If it's anything like Telegraph I'll be happy. What ever happened to Richard Davies anyway? Back to lawyering? If so what a waste of time and talent! Oh, and what's the latest on All You Need To Sleep? Is it ever gonna see the light of day?

NP: (for the first time and so far me likey :))

[Davey]

NP: (for the first time and so far me likey :))
Yea, did I mention yet that I like that one too? Except mine is the newer version with the ornithological cover.


If it's anything like Telegraph I'll be happy
Me too, although I've only heard two songs, one sounded quite a bit like Dylan, the other reminded me of Davies. Take your pick, although you probably have the download by now. Here's a live in the studio version of "Mind's Eye" recorded at Juan's Basement ...

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[Slosh]

Yea, did I mention yet that I like that one too? Except mine is the newer version with the ornithological cover.Me too. Guess I downloaded the wrong .jpg (damned wiki!)
...although you probably have the download by now.Not quite yet. 91% (EAC/FLAC/LOG) I'll get the real thing on LP if I like it (and I suspect I will).

[Davey]

I'll get the real thing on LP if I like it (and I suspect I will).
Might be waiting a long time if you want that LP to be made from vinyl. Haven't seen any mention of it. Not many little guys like Ritter on a huge label like Sony/BMG get a vinyl release, especially with their first release on the label. I don't think his last indie got vinyl either.

[Slosh]

Well, then I'll buy it on CD if I like it. "To The Dogs Or Whoever" definitely sounds like Dylan (or Willie Nile). Not much dynamic range once the songs get going . . . only about 6dB which is pretty typical nowadays. Sounds okay to me otherwise. Fairly open top-end with nice decay but I'm sitting at my PC (soundcard's coax digital out>Marantz AV receiver>Mission speakers). I'll have to hear it on my big system to give it a fair shake.

Ohh, "Mind's Eye" has that Davies-esque sound. Nice.

Alright, I need to buy this. First spin and all but sounds like a keeper to be sure :)

NP:

[Slosh]

Okay, I have three or four spins under my belt now and can say this album is great. Top 10 for sure, maybe even top 5. If anyone is on the fence about this just go for it. You won't regret it. Musically it's kind of all over the place but still has that cohesive-whole quality to it. I can't get "The Temptation Of Adam" out of my head right now. To me this would fit right in place on an Andrew Bird album, both musically, and lyrically with the subject matter being about falling for a girl in a nuclear missile silo and fantasies about hitting that button so you can stay there. :)

At other times it reminds me of Old Canes or Richmond Fountain or Neutral Milk Hotel with the mix of acoustic guitar and horns, and at other times like Dylan and Richard Davies as mentioned above.

Oh, and the new Pinback is really good as well. A bit more jangly than Summer In Abaddon, and more akin to their first two albums, but with shorter songs. Good sonics as well, which of course is always welcome. Oh wait, I wasn't supposed to say anything about it yet :p

That is all.

[Davey]

Okay, I have three or four spins under my belt now and can say this album is great. Top 10 for sure, maybe even top 5. If anyone is on the fence about this just go for it. You won't regret it.
I still have zero spins, but should be here soon. Thanks for the update ...


Oh, and the new Pinback is really good as well. A bit more jangly than Summer In Abaddon, and more akin to their first two albums, but with shorter songs. Good sonics as well, which of course is always welcome. Oh wait, I wasn't supposed to say anything about it yet

I told you no spoilers, bonerhead! But good jangly music and nice sound, yea, that's OK by me http://forums.audioreview.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Been listening some to the new Augie March CD the last few days. Moo, You Bloody Choir. Nice record. As usual, too loud. Jerks. Still good stuff, if you like that kinda stuff.

[tentoze]

My copy was waiting for me when I got back from Germany tonight- 6 songs in, and I like it- a lot. Still not sure about the sq, but the songs are excellent.

**edit- know what I hear in this more than anything else- Harry Nilsson. And that's a very good thing**

[Slosh]

Yeah, the sound is kind of raw and edgy, but obviously done so purposely. I think it adds character to the songs.

[Davey]

Yeah, the sound is kind of raw and edgy, but obviously done so purposely. I think it adds character to the songs.

Yea, not very good sound, but what a great record. Been playing it a bunch. Haven't checked out the bonus disc yet, heard it's barely a bonus, but can't get enough of the 14 songs on this CD. Just gets better with each listen. That opener, when I listened to the MP3 it struck me as almost like a Dylan tribute, with Josh quickly rattling off a steady stream of consciousness, kind of reminded me of that classic video with Dylan working the cue cards for "Subterranean Homesick Blues", but each listen it sounds weightier and more profound, and I'm a sucker for when he revisits the underwear line toward the end (even if he is imagining Florence Nightingale, Calamity Jane and Joan of Arc in their underwear :)) ...

Deep in the belly of a whale I found her
Down with the deep blue jail around her
Running her hands through the ribs of the dark
Florence and Calamity and Joan of Arc

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

Chock full of good songs, with a lot of emotion. Man, there's some good music coming out this year, and much of it unexpected by me. Also just got the latest from Caribou, Andorra, and been loving that too. Gives me a big warm and fuzzy feeling. Latest from !!!, Myth Takes, on the way too. Pinback, yeah, got it on preorder.