Music Review

The Animal Years (2006)

Josh Ritter
Reviewed by Michael Endelman | Apr 07, 2006
EW's GRADE
A-

Details Release Date: Apr 11, 2006; Lead Performance: Josh Ritter; Genre: Folk

Idaho-born singer-songwriter Josh Ritter is a huge star in Ireland, but in the United States he's just another semipopular sensitive dude with a guitar. Hopefully that will change with The Animal Years, Ritter's third album, as he finally has the sumptuous, sweeping arrangements to go along with his ruminative road stories and stream-of-consciousness, Dylanesque folk. He's put some Springsteen-style tricks to good use on cuts like ''Thin Blue Flame,'' adding tension and drama to make his personal tone poems resonate like big-screen epics.

Originally posted Apr 07, 2006 Published in issue #872 Apr 14, 2006 Order article reprints
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