Realisation
I think the reason I have trouble with 'The Remnant' and 'Rattling Locks' off of So Runs The World Away is that I've already heard Golden Age of Radio, Snow is Gone, Animal Years and Historical Conquests. If I hadn't, if this was my first go-round with Josh Ritter, if almost anyone else was singing it, I'd be able to appreciate the two pretty good songs in there for what they are.
It's just that after ten years of hilarious enthusiasm, intermittent dorkiness and songs about love, loss, romance, space, time, saints and lovers' underwear, songs as darkly vengeful these are a hard sell. If this was The Frames I'd buy them completely. Glenn Hansard has a track record with slightly disturbing-bordering-on-nutjob songs. Josh really doesn't. It's like the Monkees turning round and starting with 'Folsom Prison Blues'.
It's annoying. I want to like them very much, they just make me twitch a bit. A lot.
It's just that after ten years of hilarious enthusiasm, intermittent dorkiness and songs about love, loss, romance, space, time, saints and lovers' underwear, songs as darkly vengeful these are a hard sell. If this was The Frames I'd buy them completely. Glenn Hansard has a track record with slightly disturbing-bordering-on-nutjob songs. Josh really doesn't. It's like the Monkees turning round and starting with 'Folsom Prison Blues'.
It's annoying. I want to like them very much, they just make me twitch a bit. A lot.