Josh Ritter

Ever since he was a pup dishing out helpings of folksie Dylan, Ritter has been an attentive maven of Serious American Songwriters. This evocative set of songs from Historical Conquests shows a deeper understanding of that set, looping in the sad-and-lonely ethos of Springsteen's Nebraska with occasional self-confident swagger. The surprise comes with "Right Moves": here, without its disco affectation, it's downright tragic.