Sydneyfan
01-17-2007, 06:09 PM
This scruffy, well-traveled, literate Rhode Islander recalls the desultory whispers of Nick Drake, the ragged tunefulness of Ryan Adams, and the natural wit of a young John Prine. He may come off as a slacker, painting his name on water towers and jamming to Townes Van Zandt on the porch, but his lyrical skills, unpretentiously poetic and refreshingly concise, suggest a purposefulness that's deeper than just folksy charm. Within the sparest musical framework--fingerpicked guitar, whirling organ, lo-fi drums, some bass--Ritter evokes a delicately dense romanticism that's more on edge than earnest. "This world must be frightening," he sings, "everybody's on the run/but I can't leave this world behind." There's quiet wisdom in Ritter's world; fans of post-Dylan singer-songwriters will want to listen close. --Roy Kasten
Although a much simpler, less sophisticated affair than The Animal Years, this album - his first- has a sparse brilliance of its own. I love it muchly.
Although a much simpler, less sophisticated affair than The Animal Years, this album - his first- has a sparse brilliance of its own. I love it muchly.