Josh Ritter always returns when we need him most. In April, he released his 10th album, Fever Breaks, which was produced by Jason Isbell and features the 400 Unit. Thanks to that collaboration, it’s a fuller southern rock sound than some of the folk-leaning fare of Ritter’s early catalogue, but maintains his narrative lyrical abilities. At times, Fever Breaks collapses into bluesy fits (“Old Black Magic”) before relaxing into more tender territory, like on the subdued swing of “I Still Love You (Now and Then).” In his 20 years as a working songwriter, Ritter has given us plenty of songs that don’t need any extra flash—his words bring all the pizzaz you could want.
But it’s still enjoyable to hear him up the ante with the 400 Unit on Fever Breaks, a record that sometimes boils over with searing southern rock ‘n’ roll but more often still simmers with the warm, weary words of a man who’s done a lot of living in his 40-some-odd years.
From the album ‘Fever Breaks’,
Produced by Grammy Award-winning musician Jason Isbell, this 10-song album was recorded at Nashville’s historic RCA Studio A and features Isbell’s band, the 400 Unit. Album cover painted by Jason Holley.
The Fat Angel Sings 