Sermon on the Rocks, the new album from Josh Ritter, will be released October 16 on Pytheas Recordings/Thirty Tigers. In advance of the release, the first single, “Getting Ready To Get Down,” premiered today at NPR Music (below)
In addition to the studio album, a deluxe version of the CD and vinyl will be made available, which will include a bonus CD of Ritter’s early Sermon on the Rocks demos and home recordings. More information regarding album and vinyl pre-sale will be announced shortly.
Produced by Ritter and Trina Shoemaker (Queens of the Stone Age, Emmylou Harris), the 12-song album was recorded over two weeks at New Orleans’ The Parlor Recording Studio and features Matt Barrick from The Walkmen on drums, Zachariah Hickman on bass, Josh Kaufman on guitar and Sam Kassirer on piano.
Of his inspiration behind Sermon on the Rocks, Ritter comments, “I wanted to play messianic oracular honky-tonk.”
In celebration of the release Ritter and his longtime touring band, The Royal City Band, will embark on a series of special tour dates this fall. See below for complete details.
SERMON ON THE ROCKS TRACK LISTING
1. Birds of the Meadow
2. Young Moses
3. Henrietta, Indiana
4. Getting Ready To Get Down
5. Seeing Me Around
6. Where The Night Goes
7. Cumberland
8. Homecoming
9. The Stone
10. A Big Enough Sky
11. Lighthouse Fire
12. My Man On A Horse Is Here
JOSH RITTER AND THE ROYAL CITY BAND FALL TOUR
September 2—Portsmouth, NH—Prescott Park
September 18—Nashville, TN—Americana Music Festival
September 19—Bristol, TN—Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
October 10—Boulder, CO—Macky Auditorium*
October 19—Boston, MA—The Sinclair
October 20—Portland, ME—Port City Music Hall
October 21—Northampton, MA—The Academy
October 22—Brooklyn, NY—Rough Trade
October 24—Easton, MD—Avaoln Theatre
October 25—Pittsburgh, PA—Mr. Smalls
October 26—Washington, DC—Lincoln Theatre
*with the Boulder Philharmonic Orchestra
(additional dates to be announced)
