Golden Age of Radio is the second studio album by American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriter

Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...

 Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...

. It was Ritter's first album to be released nationally after he was signed to Signature Sounds. According to his official website, Golden Age of Radio was originally self-released in 2001 and passed out at shows. This self-pressed version contained a different, solo version of the title track called "Country Song," different mastering, and a different track order. http://www.joshritter.com/album_gaor.shtml

The album was received enthusiastically by critics, who frequently compared him to musicians such as Nick Drake

Nick Drake

Nicholas Rodney "Nick" Drake was an English singer-songwriter and musician. Though he is best known for his sombre guitar based songs, Drake was also proficient at piano, clarinet and saxophone...

 http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/r/ritterjosh-golden.shtml, Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...

, and Neil Young

Neil Young

Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...

, but failed to reach a large audience in the United States. The album was a success in Ireland

Ireland

Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...

, where, thanks to good word-of-mouth and an opening spot on The Frames

The Frames

The Frames are an Irish band based in Dublin. Founded in 1990 by Glen Hansard, the band has been influential in the Dublin rock music scene. The group has released six albums...

' tour http://www.triste.co.uk/jritter.htm followed by frequent headlining gigs, Ritter is now considered "a minor celebrity."[]

Golden Age of Radio was reissued on April 7, 2009 as a two-disc Deluxe Edition. The Deluxe Edition includes the complete original studio album along with a second bonus disc. The bonus disc contains solo acoustic versions of the original tracks (re-recorded by Ritter in Nashville of June 2008) as well as b-side and remix tracks, music videos, and a full color lyric and photo booklet. http://www.joshritter.com/news.php?nid=192

Track listing

(All songs written by Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter

Josh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...

)

1. "Come and Find Me" – 3:52
2. "Me & Jiggs" – 3:07
3. "You've Got the Moon" – 3:12
4. "Lawrence KS" – 4:15
5. "Anne" – 3:42
6. "Roll On" – 4:19
7. "Leaving" – 3:56
8. "Other Side" – 3:27
9. "Harrisburg" – 3:55
10. "Drive Away" – 4:09
11. "Golden Age of Radio" – 3:31
12. "Song for the Fireflies" – 4:29

Personnel

• Josh Ritter
  Josh Ritter
  Josh Ritter is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and author who performs and records with The Royal City Band. Ritter is known for his distinctive Americana style and narrative lyrics. In 2006 he was named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine.- Early life :Josh...
  
   – voice, guitar
  Guitar
  The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
  
  , piano
  Piano
  The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
  
  
• Zack Hickman – bass
  Bass guitar
  The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
  
  , guitar, mandolin
  Mandolin
  A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
  
  , organ
  Organ (music)
  The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
  
  
• Jason Humphrey – electric guitar
  Electric guitar
  An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
  
  
• Darius Zelkha – drums
  Drum kit
  A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
  
  

Track listing of Deluxe Edition (Bonus CD)

1. "Come and Find Me (Solo Acoustic)" – 4:01
2. "Me & Jiggs (Solo Acoustic)" – 3:01
3. "You've Got the Moon (Solo Acoustic)" – 3:03
4. "Lawrence KS (Solo Acoustic)" – 4:28
5. "Anne (Solo Acoustic)" – 2:21
6. "Roll On (Solo Acoustic)" – 4:00
7. "Leaving (Solo Acoustic)" – 3:13
8. "Other Side (Solo Acoustic)" – 3:35
9. "Harrisburg (Solo Acoustic)" – 3:43
10. "Drive Away (Solo Acoustic)" – 3:39
11. "Golden Age of Radio (Solo Acoustic)" – 4:31
12. "Song for the Fireflies (Solo Acoustic)" – 3:27
13. "A Country Song (Original Recording)" - 3:04
14. "Don't Wake Juniper (Studio B-Side)" - 3:44
15. "Come & Find Me (Jackdrag Remix)" - 4:08
16. "Other Side (Jackdrag Remix)" - 5:50
17. "Me & Jiggs" - Music Video/Multimedia Track
18. "Other Side" - Music Video/Multimedia Track

External links

• Interview with Triste Magazine
• Lyrics