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So Runs the World Away is the sixth full-length studio album by American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter. It was released on vinyl record on April 17, 2010, as a part of Record Store Day in the United States. The vinyl record came packaged with a CD version of the album as well.[1] The official album release was April 23, 2010, in Ireland, and May 4, 2010, worldwide.[2] Ritter said of the album that it "marks the beginning of a new period in [his] life," and that overall, "the songs are larger and more detailed, and feel to me as if they were painted in oil on large canvasses."[3] Ritter got the title from a line in the third act of Shakespeare's Hamlet.[4][5]

So Runs the World Away
Studio album by Josh Ritter
Released	April 17, 2010 (2010-04-17) (Record Store Day) May 4, 2010 (2010-05-04)
Recorded	The Great North Sound Society, Maine Saltlands Studios, Brooklyn, New York
Genre	Folk rock Americana
Length	53:39
Label	Pytheas Recordings
Producer	Sam Kassirer
Josh Ritter chronology
Live at the 9:30 Club (2008) So Runs the World Away (2010) To the Yet Unknowing World (2011)
Singles from The Historical Conquests of Josh Ritter
"Change of Time" Released: February 8, 2010

Release and reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[6]
The Music Cycle	[7]
The Guardian	[8]
Slant Magazine	[9]
Spectrum Culture	[10]
Spin Magazine	[11]
Sputnikmusic	[12]
TheMusicCourt	[13]

The record's release was met with high anticipation and covered by multiple news and media publications. Stephen King reported looking forward to the album.[14] Irish music magazine Hot Press featured "Josh Ritter week" with free track downloads from the album, front cover picture, and interviews.[15] Upon its release the album was met with very strong reviews.[16] The Irish Independent called it "Ritter's most intriguing and rewarding album to date, it's easily his most diverse."[17] Bob Boilen of NPR's All Songs Considered said of the album, "I've come to expect good records from him...but this one took my breath away."[18]

Track listing

All songs written by Josh Ritter, except "Folk Bloodbath" written by Ritter based on a traditional song by Mississippi John Hurt.

1. "Curtains" – 0:57
2. "Change of Time" – 4:04
3. "The Curse" – 5:03
4. "Southern Pacifica" – 4:24
5. "Rattling Locks" – 4:25
6. "Folk Bloodbath" – 5:16
7. "Lark" – 3:04
8. "Lantern" – 5:15
9. "The Remnant" – 3:56
10. "See How Man Was Made" – 3:26
11. "Another New World" – 7:34
12. "Orbital" – 3:29
13. "Long Shadows" – 2:20

Charts

Chart (2010)	Peak position
Irish Independent Albums Chart[19]	1
US Billboard 200 Albums Chart[20]	41
US Billboard Folk Albums Chart[21]	1

Personnel

Musicians

• Josh Ritter – vocals and guitars, violin
• Zack Hickman – double bass, electric bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, hi-strung guitar, omnichord, vibraphone, organ, bass clarinet, percussion, euphonium
• Austin Nevins – electric guitar, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, e-bow, lap steel, glockenspiel, banjo, mando guitar, baritone ukulele, percussion
• Liam Hurley – drums, percussion
• Sam Kassirer — electric piano, piano, organs, synthesizer, vibraphone, percussion, samples

Additional musicians

• Dawn Landes — backing vocals
• Allie Moss — backing vocals
• Jesse Neuman – trumpet, electronics
• Rob Jost — French horn
• Tony Barba — tenor saxophone, flute

Production

• Produced by Sam Kassirer
• Recorded at the Great North Sound Society, Parsonsfield, Maine, from August 2008 to October 2009
• Mixed by Brandon Eggleston at Secret Society, Portland, Oregon
• Engineered by Sam Kassirer, Brandon Eggleston and Dan Cardinal
• Additional recording by Jim Smith at Saltlands Studio, Brooklyn, New York, and by Austin Nevins at Austin's Studio in Somerville, Massachusetts
• Mastered by Jeff Lipton at Peerless Mastering

References

External links

• Josh Ritter official website
• Lyrics

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