The Animal Years

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The Animal Years is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Josh Ritter. In 2010, Ritter's band was given the name "The Royal City Band" (a reference to the song "Thin Blue Flame" from The Animal Years). Before performing "Girl in the War" at the 2006 annual dinner of the Center for American Progress in Washington D.C., Ritter stated that he intended to "write about [the United States of America], but [instead] it all came out sounding like a love song." Ritter has said that the life and work of Mark Twain were a great influence on The Animal Years, in particular Twain's books Life on the Mississippi and Letters from the Earth. When analyzed alongside Twain's biography, lyrics from multiple songs on The Animal Years seem to make textual reference to the life and times of Mark Twain. The most intriguing example may be the enigmatic song "Monster Ballads", which contains references to both the 19th-century decline of the Mississippi River steamboat at the hands of the railroad and the fictional character Huckleberry Finn. Paying homage to Twain, Josh Ritter performed in a white suit while touring to support The Animal Years. As with Ritter's previous albums, The Animal Years was praised for its lyricism and storytelling. Additionally, the use of piano throughout the album was recognized. Stephen King rated The Animal Years the best album of 2006 in an article for Entertainment Weekly.