The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter is the fifth full-length album by American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter. It was released in the U.S. on August 21, 2007,[1] in Ireland on September 7, 2007, through Independent Records, and released in the rest of Europe on October 1, 2007, by V2 Records. By July 26, 2007, the album had leaked onto peer-to-peer file-sharing websites.
| The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | August 21, 2007 | |||
| Recorded | The Great North Sound Society, Maine | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 42:52 | |||
| Label | Sony BMG Independent V2 | |||
| Producer | Sam Kassirer & mixed by Jacquire King | |||
| Josh Ritter chronology | ||||
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| Singles from The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter | ||||
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The record was recorded in a Maine farmhouse dating to the 18th century.[2] According to Ritter: "Lyrically, musically, and in terms of production, it's the most adventurous record I've made yet and I think when you hear it you're going to be surprised. Seriously, repeatedly, and in a good way."
Thematic elements
editThe lyrics of the album's Dylanesque opening track, "To the Dogs or Whoever," contains a number of historical references, many of them to traditional American cultural and mythological figures:
- Florence Nightingale
- Calamity Jane
- Joan of Arc
- Casey Jones
- Casey at the Bat
- General George Armstrong Custer
The second verse of the song "Empty Hearts":
I'm inside with my friends
We build fires and pretend
That the night could just bend on forever
While outside in the frost
Are the wolves and the lost
And we sing to the dogs or whoever
These lyrics reference the title of the first track on the album, which could be read as the friends' singing that first song or singing for a canine audience. The title of the first track on the CD is never mentioned in that song's lyrics, but Ritter self-referentially uses it in the lyrics of "Empty Hearts," suggesting that the songs on the CD may have an interrelated design.
Critical reception
edit| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 79/100[3] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| Entertainment Weekly | (A-)[5] |
| Pitchfork |    [6] |
| Tiny Mix Tapes |   [7] |
| Slant | [8] |
In regards to The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter, Paste Magazine described Ritter as the poster-boy of Americana music.[9] As with previous albums, Ritter was compared to the great American songwriters like Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen.[10]
Track listing
editAll songs written by Josh Ritter. The strings were written and arranged by Sam Kassirer, and the horns by Sam Kassirer and Zack Hickman.
- "To the Dogs or Whoever" – 3:02
- "Mind's Eye" – 2:53
- "Right Moves" – 3:44
- "The Temptation of Adam" – 4:12
- "Open Doors" – 2:35
- "Rumors" – 3:31
- "Edge of the World" – 1:41
- "Wait for Love" – 3:46
- "Real Long Distance" – 2:42
- "Next to the Last Romantic" – 2:49
- "Moons" – 0:51
- "Still Beating" – 3:49
- "Empty Hearts" – 4:40
- "Wait for Love (You Know You Will)" – 2:37
Credits
editPersonnel
edit- Josh Ritter — vocals and guitars
- Zack Hickman – double bass, electric bass, acoustic guitar and electric guitar, baritone guitar, trombone, lap steel guitar, background vocals
- Liam Hurley – drums, percussion
- Sam Kassirer — electric piano, piano, organs, guitar, vibraphone, percussion
- Matt Douglas — Clarinet, Sax, Vocals
Production
edit- Mixed by Jacquire King
- Mastering by Jeff Lipton and Jessica Thompson
Bonus EP
editInitial copies of the album included a limited-edition bonus EP CD containing "four little tracks – interesting 'bits and pieces' – from the recording sessions."[11]
Track listing
edit- "Wildfires" – 4:48
- "Spot in my Heart" – 0:37
- "Naked as a Window" – 1:29
- "Labelship Down" – 0:54
References
edit- ^ "Josh Ritter Conquers History on New Album". Retrieved June 7, 2007.
- ^ "Josh Ritter Performs on the BPP". Retrieved August 26, 2007.
- ^ The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter by Josh Ritter, retrieved January 12, 2018
- ^ "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter – Josh Ritter | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "The Historical Conquests of..." EW.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "Josh Ritter: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter Album Review | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "Music Review: Josh Ritter – The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter". Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "Josh Ritter The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter | Album Review | Slant Magazine". Slant Magazine. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "Josh Ritter: The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter". PopMatters. August 2, 2007. Retrieved January 12, 2018.
- ^ "News posting on official Josh Ritter site". Archived from the original on October 7, 2007. Retrieved August 28, 2007.