Sermon on the Rocks explained

Sermon on the Rocks
Type:	studio
Artist:	Josh Ritter
Cover:	Sermon on the Rocks cover.jpg
Released:	October 16, 2015
Recorded:	January 5–17, 2015^[1]
Studio:	The Parlor, New Orleans
Length:	44:41
Label:	Pytheas Recordings
Producer:	Trina Shoemaker, Josh Ritter
Prev Title:	Josh Ritter – Acoustic Live Vol. 1: Somerville Theater/Somerville, Mass
Prev Year:	2015
Next Title:	Gathering
Next Year:	2017

Sermon on the Rocks is the eighth full-length studio album, by singer/songwriter Josh Ritter. It was released October 16, 2015 on Pytheas Recordings.

Ritter described the record as "messianic oracular honky-tonk."

Background

American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter released his sixth full-length studio album, The Beast in Its Tracks, on March 5, 2013, via Pytheas Recordings.^[2] The album, inspired by Ritter's 2011 divorce from fellow musician Dawn Landes, intentionally ended on a hopeful note, as Ritter told Boston, "I do believe that in all my records, I've never ended it on a 'down' note. I just don't believe in it. I want to leave a little fire to carry on into the next record."^[3]

Critical reception

NPR's Stephen Thomson said the album contains "some of Ritter's slipperiest, nimblest wordplay"^[4] and Jonathan Bernstein of Rolling Stone commented that the record used "Eighties textures" and "vivid character sketches" to yield a very different result from its predecessor, The Beast in Its Tracks.^[5]

Track listing

All songs written by Josh Ritter.

1. "Birds of the Meadow" – 3:15
2. "Young Moses" – 4:08
3. "Henrietta, Indiana" – 3:43
4. "Getting Ready To Get Down" – 3:16
5. "Seeing Me Round" – 4:58
6. "Where the Night Goes" – 3:49
7. "Cumberland" – 2:17
8. "Homecoming" – 5:31
9. "The Stone" – 3:55
10. "A Big Enough Sky" – 2:47
11. "Lighthouse Fire" – 3:12
12. "My Man on a Horse (is Here)" – 3:50

Personnel

Musicians

• Josh Ritter — acoustic and electric guitar, lead and harmony vocals
• Zachariah Hickman — upright and electric bass, acoustic and classical guitar, percussion, vocals
• Matt Barrick — drums, percussion, vocals
• Sam Kassirer — piano, electric piano, clavinet, synthesizer, Hammond and Farfisa organs, percussion, vocals
• Josh Kaufman — acoustic, electric, 12-string Rickenbacker and slide guitar, electric mandolin, bongos, vocals
• Trina Shoemaker — percussion

Production

• Recorded at The Parlor, New Orleans, January 5–17, 2015
• Produced by Trina Shoemaker and Josh Ritter
• Recorded by Trina Shoemaker with Eric Heigel
• Mixed by Trina Shoemaker
• Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering
• Assistant Mastering Engineer: Maria Rice

External links

• Josh Ritter official website
• Lyrics

Notes and References

1. Sermon on the Rocks . . 2015 . February 21, 2021 . Ritter . Josh . liner notes . Pytheas Recordings . CD-PYTH-05.
2. News: Geslani . Michelle . Josh Ritter announces new album, The Beast In Its Tracks . April 14, 2021 . . December 11, 2012.
3. News: Hughes . Christopher . Q&A: Josh Ritter, the New Face of Folk . April 14, 2021 . . May 15, 2013.
4. Stephen Thomson, "Review: Josh Ritter, 'Sermon On The Rocks'", NPR, October 7, 2015.
5. Jonathan Bernstein, "Sermon on the Rocks" (review), Rolling Stone, October 29, 2015.