Whenever I’m not having the greatest day, there is
always music. Whether I’m facing a hard walk or a long wait, it can all be
endured if I’ve got some music to keep me company. And anytime I’m feeling low,
or even when I just need to safely feel a little low on my own terms, there is
music to help me along.
I wonder what people without music do? Or worse
still, those people who listen to the radio, desperately hoping that the next song
is going to fill their emotional needs only to be served some random and vacuous
hit of the day. Poor bastards.
Disc 1172 is… The Beast In Its Tracks
Artist: Josh
Ritter
Year of Release: 2013
What’s up with the Cover? When I first saw this cover I
thought there were trees growing out of Josh Ritter’s shoulders. Upon further
inspection I see that his shirt is catching fire. The patch on his right
shoulder appears to be burning in the shape of a bum, proving this particular
fire has a sense of humour.
How I Came To Know It: After I discovered Josh Ritter
through his 2006 album “The Animal Years” (reviewed back at Disc 1062) I
decided he warranted a full dive. “The Beast In Its Tracks” was one of his
albums that I determined was “shelf-worthy”.
How It Stacks Up: Josh Ritter has nine studio albums, and I own
four of them. “The Beast in its Tracks” comes in 3rd out of those 4.
What can I say? Competition is fierce.
Ratings: 4 stars
I see “The Beast in its Tracks” as a comeback album
for Josh Ritter, but it really isn’t. Ritter only began charting in the last
eight years or so, and “Beast” was part of that popular success. Note that “charting”
and “popular” are relative term when you’re talking about indie folk music, but
you get the point.
But for me Ritter’s best work spans from 2002-2006
and the records between then and 2013 don’t resonate the same. That is all
cured on “Beast” which sees Ritter’s ever evolving style move to something that
is gentle and uplifting musically, while still providing thoughtful lyrics. In
short, Ritter seems to have mellowed out.
On his earlier records, Ritter’s production is a
pretty stripped down folk, with plenty of pretty guitar work. That is all
present on “Beast” as well, but the production is lighter and airier, with
Ritter singing consistently in his high register. The album takes on a very
ethereal quality, and the low end bass notes are muted or missing. It reminded
me heavily of early Simon and Garfunkel with the soft recital quality of the
Frances Luke Accord. I expect that last reference isn’t much help…look them up
in the sidebar if you’re curious.
The guitar work has a gentle jangle, and a light
picking style that makes you want to go cycling down a country lane, or maybe
hang out at a stream and pick flowers for your girl. It feels pastoral and
pleasant.
There are times this sound feels a little twee, and
had me wishing for a bit more gravitas, but those times were rare. For the most
part, the sound put my head into a receptive reverie, ready to let Ritter’s
stories wash over and into me.
The opening tracks on the album are good, but they’re
not my favourites. Things pick up at Track 5 with “Nightmares” which has a guitar so whimsical you’d swear it was a ukulele
(I checked though – no sign of ukulele in the credits). Then Ritter cleverly crosses that whimsy with
terrifying imagery like:
“Nightmares have
their dreams as well
And when they sleep
they go to hell
And drink their
fill on lakes of blood
Canter ‘cross the
skull-paved
And nurse their
little colts on fires
Their coltish teeth
like kitchen knives
And look down from
abysmal cliffs
Their dead hair by
the lead wind riffed
On denizens too
deep to see
Whose own dreams
nightmares’ nightmares in
I know where the
nightmares sleep
On what fodder they
feed.”
Translation: everyone has nightmares – even nightmares.
You’re not alone. No wonder the song has a ukulele-like whimsy; it’s
comforting.
On “New Lover”
Ritter has a similarly “happy” message, as he tells his old lover he’s happy
and moved on, and hopes the same for her…before ending with:
“But if you’re sad
and you are lonesome and you ain’t got nobody true
I’d be lying if I
said that didn’t make me happy too.”
Here again, is the album’s hidden charm. Ritter has
found a way to sing gently about dark thoughts, sugar-coated like a pill from
Miracle Max to help it go down easier.
Not all the songs have darkness underneath. Many of
the songs on “Beast” are just pretty little romantic songs. The kind of thing
you play for your girl to impress her with your love around a campfire. Of
course, if you play guitar you know that your girl has heard you rehearse the
crap out of that song, so by the time you pull it out at the campfire chances are
you’ll be sick of it, and so will she – although she’ll still appreciate the
sentiment.
Fortunately, I never heard Josh Ritter sit around
his house and compose these perfect little songs – they arrived for me in
finished form; thoughtful little songs that wrapped me up in a little doubt, a
lot of love and just the right amount of jangle.
Best
tracks: Nightmares,
New Lover, Heart’s Ease, The Appleblossom Rag, In Your Arms Awhile, Joy to You
Baby
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