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Josh Ritter is an American singer, musician, and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band made up of Zack Hickman, Sam Kassirer, Josh Kaufman, and Ray Rizzo. He first picked up the guitar after hearing "Girl from the North Country" by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan. His first self-titled album was funded by himself in college and after selling copies on his own, he got noticed by both critics and folk fans. Ritter's discography consists of nine CDs stemming from 1999 to 2017. His songs have been featured in media such as the television show, Parenthood, and the trailer for Natalie Portman's film The Other Woman.

On his eighth album, Sermon on the Rocks, Ritter takes on a different persona- one he refers to as "messianic oracular honky-tonk". The opening track, "Birds of the Meadow" is his boldest examination of the apocalypse so far and shows how effortless his ability to change sounds is. He has an almost Van Morrison moment in "Homecoming" whereas " Getting Ready to Get Down" is a more lighthearted and fun song about a young woman trying to fit in with those in her hometown. "The Stone" is a torchy ballad that is there to give the listener a sense of solace from the intense sounds. The album uses cheery sounds to hide a darker sense of pain as Ritter has described.

Sermon on the Rocks
Track List

1. Bird of the Meadow
2. Young Moses
3. Henrietta, Indiana
4. Getting Ready to Get Down
5. Seeing Me Round
6. Where the Night Goes
7. Cumberland
8. Home Coming
9. The Stone
10. A Big Enough Sky
11. Lighthouse Fire
12. My Man on a Horse (Is Here)

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