Hello Starling, the third album from Josh Ritter, debuted in 2003 on Massachusetts folk imprint Signature Sounds before migrating to V2 for this special edition release, just as his 2001 LP was expanded and reissued to capitalize on his growing fame. Hello Starling itself remains unchanged. It's still the same collection of vividly descriptive yet entirely graceful folk-rock that's comfortable and incredibly powerful all at once. ("What makes the water holy," goes the spare and acoustic "Wings," "Is that it's the closest ...
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Hello Starling, the third album from Josh Ritter, debuted in 2003 on Massachusetts folk imprint Signature Sounds before migrating to V2 for this special edition release, just as his 2001 LP was expanded and reissued to capitalize on his growing fame. Hello Starling itself remains unchanged. It's still the same collection of vividly descriptive yet entirely graceful folk-rock that's comfortable and incredibly powerful all at once. ("What makes the water holy," goes the spare and acoustic "Wings," "Is that it's the closest thing to rain.") But V2's version is packaged with a live EP featuring three songs from Starling as well as the title track from Golden Age of Radio. Recorded in Dublin in 2003 and 2004 before enthusiastic audiences (Ritter is a sensation in Ireland), the plaintively acoustic "You Don't Make It Easy Babe," a Hammond-led "Kathleen," and the rousing, jangling thrill that is "Snow Is Gone" each tap into Ritter's certain gravity -- his talent for camouflaging captivating songwriting behind seemingly simplistic chords, or at least a boyish smile. The live EP's inclusion makes this 2005 Hello Starling the perfect introductory package, since its casual brashness accents the studio album's quieter moments, like "California" or "Bone of Song." "Lucky are you who finds me in the wilderness," goes the latter. "I am the only unquiet ghost that does not seek rest." [As the album/EP package was limited, V2 also issued 4 Songs Live on its own.] ~ Johnny Loftus, Rovi
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Add this copy of Hello Starling to cart. $6.44, good condition, Sold by Bookmans rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tucson, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 2005 by V2.