[rating=4.00]
Kentucky newcomer, Brooks Ritter is a singer-songwriter, tied to the surge of Americana and folk wave that is dominating music charts and airwaves. His first album, The Horse Fell Lame, released in 2009 leaned more towards folk with subtle acoustic arrangements and limited instrumentation giving it a back porch feel. On his new EP, The War, Ritter combines his growth as a songwriter and vocalist with more of a bluesy rock sound complete with bottle neck slide guitar and emotional vocals. The War starts off a little louder than previous album with title track that includes thundering drums and raucous guitar riffs accompanied by Ritter’s soulful vocals giving the song a classic rock feel to it.
The Allman Brothers inspired, "Good Day," brings an uplifting message complete with bottle-neck slide guitar giving it a Sunday morning gospel sound. Lyrically Ritter’s songs are written in an older poetic style that will open new doors for listeners each time they listen to the album. Tracks like the country twang of, "Waters of Forgiveness," and up tempo rocker," Whom Have I in Heaven," highlight his impressive vocal styling and profound lyrics. Ritter’s brilliant reworking of the old hymn, "Rock of Ages," combines elements of Americana with pedal steel and acoustic guitar with an emotional crescendo at the end. Brooks Ritter’s, The War, has a southern rock and gospel feel, filled with elevating themes and a fresh sound that is good food for the soul.
The Mercy Seat // The War – SPLIT EPK from jeff venable on Vimeo.
