Back in April Josh Ritter told me at his concert about filming a video for “Lillian, Egypt” when I told him it was one of my favorite tracks from The Animal Years. I finally got around to watching it today, and it’s terrific. I bet the band had a blast filming it. I especially love picking out band members among the extras, though it’s a bit tough with the low resolution.
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During the encore for our show, Josh came out with an acoustic guitar and sang “Lawrence, KS” completely unplugged. Someone in the audience caught a video of it. The lights were low, so the videos not fantastic, but it’s plenty good enough.
The Josh Ritter concert was fantastic. It was their first night, and both they and the crowd were loving every minute of it. I think it might possibly have been even better than their set last October.
Afterwards I got two hugs and a kiss from Josh. He was just thrilled as could be about the whole night and wore that boyish grin of his as he spoke to everyone. I congratulated him and the rest of his band on the album and a spectacular show, and now my copy of The Animal Years has been signed by all four of them.
Even if I still had my 8:30 class scheduled for tomorrow morning, it would have been worth every minute.
This will not be me in graduate school. I hope.
On that note, I’ve heard from one of the guys I visited Cornell with. He’s decided to go there as well, so that’ll be one person I know starting there with me.
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I can’t stop listening to Josh Ritter’s The Animal Years and the tracks from The Swell Season that Glen Hansard posted. One tends toward upbeat and catchy; the other is melancholy and heart-achingly haunting. “The Swell Season,” in particular, has stolen my heart.
I feel like I should write some kind of review for The Animal Years before going to the concert on Wednesday, and, since I’m not allowed to listen to any Ritter in the 24 hours preceding the concert, that means I should be writing that now. But whether I’m in the condition for it is another question entirely. A few notes though:
- “Girl in the War” gets my award for the lyrics I can’t help singing. Something about a conversation between St. Peter and St. Paul is just… catching. Starting the album with this was a brilliant decision.
- “Wolves” and “Idaho” are somehow completely entwined for me. I can still remember Josh playing the latter last time at the concert. Both end up reminding me of my suitemate from Idaho.
- Aside from “Thin Blue Flame,” which I’ve loved from the first time I heard it, I think that “Lillian Egypt” is my favorite song on the album. I never would have imagined a love song cast into a silent film would be so much fun: He made her the star of the silent movies / But all she did was mouth the words / all she did was mouth the words, “Oh no!” / And he cast me as the villain as the sheriff’s worst enemy. The keyboard solo ranks up there with the intro to “Baba O’Reilly” in terms of awesome. I’ve got my fingers crossed on this one getting played Wednesday. I suspect that it will be one of those songs that’s as fun to witness and sing along to live as “Snow Is Gone” is.
- In terms of similarities to past songs, “In the Dark” is now tied to “Kathleen” for me. I’m not sure entirely why, except perhaps in that they’re both easy to start singing to without realizing it.
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I got an e-mail from Glen today after sending him a question about how he got introduced to Werner Herzog films (i.e. Fitzcarraldo). His approachability never ceases to astound or impress me.
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In two weeks, my team has to present our design for an orbiter to visit Titan. In two days, I’ll be presenting my research poster at the symposium. Yes, the end is near, and it both saddens and frightens me.
I may be a bit late jumping on the boat with some of this, but I have some music-related links to share.
- Vicar St. Tracks on Archive.org - These are several tracks from the 6 February 2006 Vicar St. gig the Frames did. They’re official recordings (mastered by Rob and everything), and I haven’t had a chance to listen to them yet, but comments from others have indicated that they’re absolutely fantastic. I personally can’t wait to listen to “Seven Day Mile,” but that may be my love affair with that song speaking.
- Frames Podcast - This Paste Magazine podcast includes an interview with Glen and Joe from the Austin City Limits Festival last year. The podcast has more than just the Frames, actually, but it’s all worth the listen. The last two songs may not fly with everyone, but that’s typically the way indie music goes. (Why do I feel like someone out of QC suddenly?)
- Josh Ritter Podcast (Parts One and Two) - Anyone who enjoys Ritter and his music will enjoy hearing this. The audio is a bit spotty in places, which is probably because it was recorded in Ritter’s home rather than in a studio, but the live tracks are quite good. I think I’ll be picking a couple of them out in mp3 format for my own use. As an aside, Josh will be back in Cleveland on April 19th, and I’m putting together a group to go see him. Anyone interested?
I may have to start listening to these Paste Magazine podcasts. If the Frames and Josh Ritter are the sort of artists they cover, I might enjoy listening to more of their repertoire. And heaven knows that these things make those long walks across campus and the half-days of airport traveling a little more bearable.
Because it’s been awhile since I spammed you with Frames-related media–and I’m supposed to be asleep right now anyway–take a look at this video of Josh Ritter and the Frames playing “Come and Find Me” as an encore at the concert I attended in October. Yes, some of those flashes of light are mine.
I’m about ready to tear my hair out because Ticket Web is refusing to let me purchase tickets for the Frames + Josh Ritter concert that I’m dying to go to next Friday. Look, people, I know I put the right billing address in; I just called the bank about it earlier this week. I told Mark that I’ll have to call the box office tomorrow and beg for the ability to reserve tickets–otherwise, I’ll show up the night of the concert, be unable to get in, and I’ll have to fall to my knees on the sidewalk with much loud lamenting of the sackcloth and ashes variety. No one wants that. It might freak out the customers.
On the other hand, that’s what you get when you destroy the hopes of a student who has only just pulled through a horrific fortnight of midterms by dreaming of that one evening. Not that I’ve made it through that awful fortnight yet. The worst of the midterms is set for 8:30 tomorrow morning. That should be my signal to sign off and go to bed, methinks.
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