The Animal Years

Before performing "Girl in the War" at the 2006 annual dinner of the Center for American Progress in Washington D.C., Ritter stated that he intended to "write about [the United States of America], but [instead] it all came out sounding like a love song."{{YouTube|XZqGMO8vUfU|Josh Ritter Plays A Girl in the War At CAP Event}}

Ritter has said that the life and work of Mark Twain were a great influence on The Animal Years, in particular Twain's books Life on the Mississippi and Letters from the Earth.{{Cite web|url=http://www.chartattack.com/news/2006/04/26/josh-ritter-letter-from-america/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161011005911/http://www.chartattack.com/news/2006/04/26/josh-ritter-letter-from-america/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 11, 2016|title=Josh Ritter: Letter From America {{!}} Chart Attack|date=April 26, 2006|language=en-US|access-date=July 2, 2016}} When analyzed alongside Twain's biography, lyrics from multiple songs on The Animal Years seem to make textual reference to the life and times of Mark Twain.{{Cite web|url=https://girlinthegloaming.com/2007/08/16/josh-ritter-mark-twain-the-animal-years-song-meaning/|title=Girl meets Mark Twain|last=girlinthegloaming|date=August 16, 2007|website=Girl in the Gloaming|access-date=July 2, 2016}} The most intriguing example may be the enigmatic song "Monster Ballads", which contains references to both the 19th-century decline of the Mississippi River steamboat at the hands of the railroad and the fictional character Huckleberry Finn.{{Cite web|url=https://girlinthegloaming.com/2007/12/11/song-meaning-josh-ritter-monster-ballads/|title=Desert radio: Monster Ballads revisited|last=girlinthegloaming|date=December 11, 2007|website=Girl in the Gloaming|access-date=July 2, 2016}} Paying homage to Twain, Josh Ritter performed in a white suit while touring to support The Animal Years.{{Cite web|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/jan/24/20070124-105605-7078r/|title=Josh Ritter goes solo|access-date=July 2, 2016}}

{{Album ratings

| MC = 80/100{{Citation|title=The Animal Years by Josh Ritter|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/the-animal-years/josh-ritter|accessdate=January 12, 2018}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-animal-years-mw0000403188|title=The Animal Years – Josh Ritter {{!}} Songs, Reviews, Credits {{!}} AllMusic|website=AllMusic|access-date=January 12, 2018}}

| rev2 = The A.V. Club

| rev2Score = A−{{Cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/josh-ritter-the-animal-years-1798201612|title=Josh Ritter: The Animal Years|last=Phipps|first=Keith|work=Music|access-date=January 12, 2018|language=en-US}}

| rev3 = The Guardian

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2006/mar/17/popandrock.shopping1|title=CD: Josh Ritter, The Animal Years|last=Clarke|first=Betty|date=March 17, 2006|work=The Guardian|access-date=January 12, 2018|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

| rev4 = Prefix Magazine

| rev4Score = 8/10{{Cite news|url=http://www.prefixmag.com/reviews/the-animal-years/15157/|title=Josh Ritter – The Animal Years Album Review {{!}} Prefixmag.com|last=Legat|first=Michael|work=Prefixmag.com|access-date=January 12, 2018|language=en-US}}

| rev5 = Slant

| rev5Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/review/josh-ritter-the-animal-years|title=Josh Ritter The Animal Years {{!}} Album Review {{!}} Slant Magazine|work=Slant Magazine|access-date=January 12, 2018|language=en-US}}

}}

As with Ritter's previous albums, The Animal Years was praised for its lyricism and storytelling.{{Cite news|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5396321|title=On 'Animal Years,' Josh Ritter's Sense of Place|work=NPR.org|access-date=January 12, 2018|language=en}} Additionally, the use of piano throughout the album was recognized.{{Cite web|url=http://www.whatstheruckus.com/2010/04/album-review-josh-ritter-the-animal-years.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180113093247/http://www.whatstheruckus.com/2010/04/album-review-josh-ritter-the-animal-years.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=January 13, 2018|title=Album Review: Josh Ritter: The Animal Years – The Ruckus {{!}} Record Reviews, MP3s, Videos|website=www.whatstheruckus.com|access-date=January 12, 2018}}

Stephen King rated The Animal Years the best album of 2006 in an article for Entertainment Weekly.{{cite web|last=King |first=Stephen |url=https://ew.com/article/2007/02/01/stephen-kings-top-music-picks-2006/ |title=Stephen King's top music picks for 2006 |publisher=EW.com |date=February 1, 2007 |accessdate=January 14, 2012}}

All songs written by Josh Ritter.

1. "Girl in the War" – 4:23
2. "Wolves" – 4:04
3. "Monster Ballads" – 4:05
4. "Lillian, Egypt" – 3:24
5. "Idaho" – 3:51
6. "In the Dark" – 4:41
7. "One More Mouth" – 3:29
8. "Good Man" – 4:09
9. "Best for the Best" – 3:58
10. "Thin Blue Flame" – 9:38
11. "Here at the Right Time" – 3:40

• Josh Ritter – voice, guitar
• Zack Hickman – bass, electric bass, guitar, mandolin, lap steel guitar, Ukulele
• David Hingerty – drums, percussion
• Sam Kassirer – Hammond organ, Wurlitzer, piano, accordion, synthesizer
• Tim Bradshaw – guitar

• Mixed by Brian Deck
• Mastering by Greg Calbi

The Animal Years was reissued as a two-disc deluxe edition, first in Ireland on January 17, 2010, then in the United States on February 15, 2011. The deluxe edition includes the complete original studio album as well as a bonus CD with Ritter performing a solo acoustic version of the entire album (recorded in Nashville in June 2008). The bonus CD also includes four b-sides, an enhanced video for "Lillian, Egypt", new artwork, and liner notes by Tom Ricks.

A vinyl version of the deluxe edition was released in the United States on January 25, 2011. The LP also includes a copy of the bonus acoustic CD.{{cite web |url=http://joshritter.com/2011/01/31/animal-years-re-issue/ |title='The Animal Years' Re-Issued in Deluxe & Vinyl Editions |publisher=Josh Ritter |accessdate=January 14, 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110205072727/http://joshritter.com/2011/01/31/animal-years-re-issue/ |archivedate=February 5, 2011 }}

1. "Girl in the War" (Solo Acoustic)
2. "Wolves" (Solo Acoustic)
3. "Monster Ballads" (Solo Acoustic)
4. "Lillian, Egypt" (Solo Acoustic)
5. "Idaho" (Solo Acoustic)
6. "In the Dark" (Solo Acoustic)
7. "One More Mouth" (Solo Acoustic)
8. "Good Man" (Solo Acoustic)
9. "Best for the Best" (Solo Acoustic)
10. "Thin Blue Flame" (Solo Acoustic)
11. "Here at the Right Time" (Solo Acoustic)
12. "Blame It on the Tetons" (written by Modest Mouse)
13. "Harbortown"
14. "Peter Killed the Dragon"
15. "Monster Ballads" (Early Version)

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.joshritter.com/ Josh Ritter official website]
• [https://date4zilla.com/ Lyrics]
• [https://www.perfect-lyrics.in/ Perfect-Lyrics]

{{Josh Ritter}}

• [https://www.lyricsbaja.in/ best love song lyrics]

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Category:Josh Ritter albums

Category:2006 albums

Category:V2 Records albums

Category:Albums recorded at Bear Creek Studio