Bringing In The Darlings
A TOUCH OF HOPE FROM IDAHO
Patrick Freyne, 01 Mar 2012
If there was a musicological definition of Josh Ritter’s music, it might refer to rootsy, strangely familiar, circular melodies, framing straightforward lyrical messages. Everyone from Neil Young to Rufus Wainwright has something in this vein in their repertoire – but Josh Ritter is a master of the genre. Easy to sing or strum along to, songs in this vein are often dismissed as being slight, but that’s missing the point. They are designed so that the singer can inject a touch of hope into the life of a fretful listener – and as such references to Heidegger or the Eurozone crisis would probably interrupt the flow.
In Bringing In The Darlings Josh Ritter has produced a collection of lovely, beautifully finger-picked songs where optimism shines through melancholy. It begins with the softly sung, Paul-Simon-like ‘Why’ in which he attempts to banish fear, and ends with the gently romantic and self-explanatory ‘I Can’t Go To Sleep Without You’. Along the way, he borrows a line from the old folk song ‘Make Me Down A Pallet On The Floor’ for his own ‘Make Me Down’ and takes a detour into the ‘50s with ‘Love Is Making Its Way Back Home’, which features twanging electric guitar, lightly doo-wop backing vocals and dose of slap-back reverb.
Ultimately, it’s a gently joyous experience. Even on songs like ‘Darlin’’ in which he unsuccessfully entreats a girl to call him ‘Darlin’’ there’s a triumphant dash of brightness. You just know she’s going to call him ‘Darlin’’ eventually. And she does.
Patrick Freyne
Latest Related Articles For This Artist
When his marriage ended suddenly, Josh Ritter lost his way. He started drinking and wandering the streets. The only way to arrest the downward spiral was to pour his pain into his songs. The result is his most torrid album to date. He talks about the genesis of The Beast In Its Tracks and how he managed to banish the despair and build a new life...
Interview: 2013-05-07
Josh Ritter has recorded a series of very special performances for Hot Press readers...
News: 2013-04-26
"I kept away from bridges for a while", he tells Hot Press.
News: 2013-04-24
In it, we meet the wonderful Josh Ritter, as well as catching up with Fight Like Apes, Thirty Seconds To Mars and Frank Turner...
News: 2013-04-24
The American singer-songwriter was in the studio with The Royal City Band...
News: 2013-03-07
Latest Related Videos For This Artist
Galway Arts Festival have just announced that Josh Ritter will play the Big Top this July...
2013-03-04 - News
Josh Ritter & The Royal City Band are the first act confirmed for the Iveagh Gardens summer 2013 shows...
2012-12-19 - News
He's back with a new album and touring in July.
2012-12-14 - News
Lead single 'Joy To You Baby' is out now.
2012-12-11 - News
An acclaimed songwriter, Josh Ritter has now ventured into the world of fiction. He talks religion, writing on the road and words from Stephen King with Craig Fitzpatrick.
2012-06-05 - Interview
The singer will be promoting his new book around the country this summer.
2012-04-19 - News
American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter talks to Jackie Hayden about the more technical side of playing music, touring and writing songs.
2011-04-05 - Interview
Bright's Passage is being published in June.
2011-03-30 - News
It's his nod to Record Store Day on April 16. Talking of which...
2011-03-10 - News
The Royal City Band are coming with him next April.
2010-11-22 - News
The Human League, Josh Ritter & Cathy Davey lead the musical charge!
2010-05-31 - News
The Hold Steady are the week's highest new entry.
2010-05-07 - News
A quality evening’s entertainment, all told
2010-05-06 - REVIEW
After years of thankless toil, Josh Ritter finally had the world at his feet. And then, just as he should have been at his happiest, he suffered a sudden crisis of confidence. Sick of the sound of his own voice, the Idaho bard felt trapped in an artistic prison he himself had devised. His struggle for freedom is chronicled on his wrenching new album, perhaps the finest of his career. Hot Press meets him in New York to discuss the long road to redemption.
2010-05-05 - Interview
The new top 20 should also put a smile on Mark E. Smith's face.
2010-04-30 - News
As part of our Josh Ritter Week, Hot Press has FIVE exclusive tracks for fans to download, continuing today!
2010-04-23 - News
The singer, who appears on this week's cover of Hot Press, has been forced by the pesky ash to reschedule the in-store event, which was due to take place tomorrow (Thursday)
2010-04-21 - News
Hot Press is gearing up to celebrate an exclusive Josh Ritter Week on hotpress.com. Things kick off today, April 22, as the new issue of Hot Press, featuring Josh Ritter on the cover and a brilliantly revealing interview with the Idaho hero by Peter Murphy inside, hits the streets.
2010-04-21 - News
As we kick off a week dedicated to the Idaho singer-songwriter, he announces a show at Iveagh Gardens
2010-04-21 - News
So Runs The World Away is out in April.
2010-03-11 - News
So Runs the World Away is out here in April.
2010-02-08 - News
The American singer-songwriter and his band are coming to Dublin on April 27.
2009-12-10 - News
With a year’s worth of grandiose orchestral gigs behind him, Ireland’s sweetheart and son of Idaho Josh Ritter was enveigled into celebrating Whelan’s 20th birthday with three shows in a stripped down acoustic format.
2009-11-09 - REVIEW
Three nights to celebrate 20 years of Whelans
2009-08-25 - News
He's bringing The Love Canon String Band with him.
2009-08-20 - News
Josh Ritter’s The Golden Age Of Radio gets the deluxe reissue treatment on May 22.
2009-05-15 - News
Ireland’s favourite troubadour is back with his second live album. Live At The 9:30 Club documents the Idaho native’s stopover at the Washington D.C. venue last October .
2008-09-11 - REVIEW
Hot on the heels of his Electric Picnic heroics – Josh Ritter pays a December visit accompanied by a full 24-piece orchestra, with a new date just added.
2008-09-03 - News
Josh Ritter talks to hotpress.com about the craft of songwriting, his love of Mark Twain, and how society always influences the song – even Britney's 'Toxic'.
2008-08-07 - News
The Electric Picnic-bound Josh Ritter has confirmed the release of Live At The 9.30 Club, the majority of which was recorded in the titular Washington D.C. venue.
2008-07-29 - News
Josh Ritter has premiered the new video for his track 'Real Long Distance' in his blog.
2008-05-06 - News
A starstruck Josh Ritter has spoken to Hot Press about playing alongside The Who.
2007-11-26 - News
A pair of well-dressed girls on the way out said it was the best concert they’d ever attended and who would argue with them?
2007-09-20 - REVIEW
It’s been a tumultuous few years for Josh Ritter. Against the dramatic backdrop of the Swiss Alps, he talks about his number one fan Stephen King, recalls the day he met Bob Dylan and explains why it’s never a good idea to drink before a show
2007-09-11 - Interview
The Idaho singer-songwriter announces ten new Irish dates for the end of the year.
2007-09-10 - News
The lean, hobo visionary of old is gone: in his place is a suited bandleader, and his new song is almost brilliant. The sound is very Band-era Dylan, and Josh’s quicksilver lyrics evoke the same swirl of images the Big Zim’s always did. While the solo is wonderfully commanding, the ‘70s soft-rock chorus feels like a downward gear-shift from the verse. And so, once again, Ritter lacks the stratosphere-catapulting single he’s been looking for.
2007-09-04 - REVIEW
Man of the moment Josh Ritter will be making an appearance in the Grafton Street HMV store this week.
2007-09-03 - News
To be fair to Ritter, he’s played the hand he’s been dealt with bravado and good grace.
2007-08-29 - REVIEW
Josh Ritter has announced two special fan club shows in Dublin and Galway this September.
2007-07-26 - News
Josh Ritter has confirmed the release date of his new album.
2007-06-21 - News
Ireland's favourite adopted American, Josh Ritter, is back with a new album out in August.
2007-06-15 - News
Honorary Irishman Josh Ritter is still pinching himself after getting to play with Brooooce at the massive Springsteen tribute gig in New York’s Carnegie Hall.
2007-04-12 - News
Having previously only been able as part of a DVD/CD double-pack, Josh Ritter’s In The Dark gets the audio-only live album treatment on March 2.
2007-03-05 - News
Hot Press can reveal that Josh Ritter is releasing an Ireland-only double disc digipack comprising of a live CD and DVID.
2006-11-02 - News
Fresh from playing the Electric Picnic, Josh Ritter has announced a sizeable Irish tour.
2006-09-12 - News
An Ireland-only release to coincide with his upcoming Electric Picnic appearance, this EP is a must-have for fans of the Idaho songwriter. It’s essentially Ritter and his acoustic guitar on most of the tracks. Included is a cover of Modest Mouse’s ‘Blame It On The Teutons’. There are also two previously unreleased originals, ‘Harbortown’ and ‘Peter Killed The Dragon’, a gorgeous number that sees Ritter exploring his fascination with religious imagery.
2006-08-16 - REVIEW
Long-standing Irish fans will be chuffed for Josh Ritter as he's due to make his debut on national US TV in fine style.
2006-08-11 - News
Josh Ritter has announced details of an Ireland-only EP, Good Man, which is being released to coincide with his Electric Picnic appearance on September 3.
2006-07-18 - News
The holy and austere surroundings only rendered that night's performance that much more powerful. It was certainly a lightning bolt moment for this listener, who hitherto always found himself torn between liking Mr Ritter and being exasperated at the transparency of his influences (Bruce, Leonard, Nick Drake, Townes Van Zandt).
2006-03-22 - REVIEW
The Hot Press cover star collapses on stage and is rushed to hospital.
2006-03-08 - News
Running a marathon, writing the folk-pop equivalent of Dante’s Divine Comedy, buying a house, releasing the finest record of his career. All in a year’s work for Josh Ritter. John Walshe travelled to Boston to meet the young songwriter.
2006-03-08 - Interview
Powerful and resonant, The Animal Years’ complex musical tapestry remains deeply engaging throughout.
2006-02-27 - REVIEW
There's a bit of a treat on the way for those purchasing the issue of Hot Press that comes out on Febraury 23. Well, more than the usual anyway.
2006-02-21 - News
He’s officially your favourite international male artist and songwriter, according to the last issue’s readers poll. And Josh Ritter’s working goddamn hard to ensure the accolades are merited. This is a thigh-slapping country-tinged affair that even has a ‘na na’ chorus in it. It’s impossible to resist its cheery charms, so don’t even try.
2006-02-20 - REVIEW
Josh Ritter has announced details of his new album, The Animal Years, and an accompanying nationwide Irish tour.
2006-01-26 - News
Josh Ritter has announced details of his new album, The Animal Years, and an accompanying nationwide Irish tour.
2006-01-19 - News
Josh Ritter never did anything for me. A patchy debut and an over-rated follow up only served to increase my amazement as to how he had become so successful in this country. Tonight though, I may have begun to come around.
2005-07-18 - REVIEW
With the huge success of his sophomore album and a brand new masterwork in the offing, 2004 has been a capital year for US singer-songwriter and adopted son of Eire, Josh Ritter.
2004-12-09 - Interview
Josh Ritter rounds off a mighty successful year by signing a contract with V2 Records
2004-12-07 - News
Josh Ritter celebrates the re-release of his Golden Age Of Radio album with a handful of live dates
2004-09-30 - News
There was much celebrating in the Josh Ritter camp last week as his 'Snow Is Gone' single was A-Listed by BBC Radio 2
2004-05-04 - News
Fresh from a starring role in the Readers Poll, Josh Ritter has even more reasons to be cheerful – like touring with Joan Baez and getting to know Damien Rice.
2004-02-12 - Interview
Rittser's Snow Is Gone! EP will be released just in time for his next Irish rendez-vous
2004-01-22 - News
Josh Ritter's been busy planning his tour itinerary for the New Year, and February sees him Ireland-bound
2003-12-08 - News
When Josh Ritter says this feels like a homecoming show, there’s no point in arguing geography.
2003-10-30 - REVIEW
With Hello Starling Josh Ritter has emerged as one of the finest songwriters who's operating today. John Walshe meets the reluctant hero who's storming the Irish charts.
2003-10-17 - Interview
Josh Ritter will play tunes and sign copies of his new CD ahead of his Lisdoonvarna appearance
2003-08-25 - News
While it would have been good to hear his own ramshackle brand of Americana given a meatier treatment, it can’t be denied that he does have some fine tunes in his canon and a winning way of delivering them.
2003-07-22 - REVIEW
The atmosphere throughout these twelve acoustic tracks is gentle and intimate. Ritter's voice possesses a compelling, rustic quality
2002-03-26 - REVIEW
Ireland's favourite Idahoan (and believe us the competition is quite fierce) Josh Ritter returns with new single 'Me & Jiggs' and an 8-date Irish tour
2002-02-14 - News
JOHN WALSHE meets JOSH RITTER, the US singer-songwriter who’s enjoying considerable success in Ireland, touring with the Frames among others
2001-08-23 - Interview
hotpress.com
Blogs on hotpress.com
Additional Sites on hotpress.com
- The Music Show
- The Jagermeister Freezer Sessions
- Hot Press Rock Photo
- The Philip Lynott Exhibition
- The INEC Homegrown Sessions
- HTC One Hotpress Photojournalist
- Genre Free Compilation
- MIX 13: Music Industry Xplained
- Shoot To Thrill: Make a Hot Press Cinema Ad
- Other Voices
- Best of Ireland
- The Big Break
- Hot for 2013
- Josh Ritter
- Eoin Glackin
- Bitter Rocc
Contact Us
Hot Press,
13 Trinity Street,
Dublin 2.
Rep. Of Ireland
Tel: +353 (1) 241 1500
Email:info@hotpress.ie
Click here for more contact information.
Click here to find out more about Hot Press
Hot Press always welcomes feed back so if you've got something to tell us click here.
Advertise With Us
For more detail on how to advertise with Hot Press click here or call us on +353 (1) 241 1540
©Hot Press 2012. Why be a member? | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | About Us Jobs @ Hot Press