Gathering

"Josh Ritter's music is obviously the result of a broad range of influences, which he manages to sprinkle liberally and smartly throughout his work. It's never derivative and always manages to sound fresh and new. That is a rare gift, and like the artists to whom he's often compared-Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan being the more obvious ones-his status as a peerless singer/songwriter is unmatched".

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"Culled from a reported 30 recorded tracks, Gathering doles out its fair share of rockers -- after a brief, sepia-tone Salvation Army Band-style intro, a wash of feedback heralds in the LP's most juke joint-worthy offering, "Cry Softly" -- but Ritter is still a balladeer at heart. The achingly lovely "Thunderbolt's Goodnight" and the gospel-tinged "When Will I Be Changed," the latter of which is a duet with the Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, provide more than adequate shelter from the electricity-hurling antics of the Gods above, and serve as a reminder that behind every wall of storm clouds is a patient blue sky".

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