Josh Ritter I Believe In You, My Honeydew

Critic's Take

Josh Ritter remains a masterful songwriter on I Believe In You, My Honeydew, and the review points to clear best tracks such as “Noah’s Children”, “Truth is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding)”, and “I’m Listening” as highlights. The critic notes that “Noah’s Children” pairs grave subject matter with surprisingly upbeat music, while the stripped-down “Truth is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding)” is a great song about getting past an ex. The late-album “I’m Listening” is praised as a song that sounds most like a long-lost Dylan tune, making these the best songs on I Believe In You, My Honeydew for both emotional depth and musical payoff.

Key Points

• The best song excels by marrying weighty subject matter to upbeat, memorable music, as on "Noah's Children".
• The album’s strengths are Ritter’s songwriting, emotional range, and tasteful arrangements that balance stripped-down folk and larger, organ- and choir-backed moments.

Themes

Critic's Take

Patrick Gill hears a seasoned artist hunting for spark on I Believe In You, My Honeydew, and he flags a few highs among the uneven stretches. He praises the triumphant “You Won’t Dig My Grave” for its joy and momentum, and singles out “Noah’s Children” and the reflective “Truth Is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding)” as moments where Ritter’s poetic sensibility and confessional voice register strongest. The review notes Americana touchstones but insists Ritter sounds best when leaning into his own style, making these the best tracks on the album for listeners seeking the record’s rewarding moments. The tone is measured, acknowledging craft and restraint while wishing for a bit more inspiration from the veteran songwriter.

Key Points

• The best song, "You Won't Dig My Grave", earns its place through joyful arrangement and triumphant delivery.
• The album’s core strengths are Ritter’s poetic, confessional songwriting and tasteful Americana arrangements, though inspiration is uneven.

Themes

Critic's Take

Josh Ritter returns with I Believe in You, My Honeydew, a record that insists on faith as an active practice, and that makes the best tracks - notably “You Won't Dig My Grave” and “Honeydew (No Light)” - feel like small anthems. The reviewer’s sentences swell and land the way Ritter’s arrangements do: big, literate, and plainspoken, praising the album’s sweeping arrangements and irresistible hooks while lingering on the vivid storytelling of “Truth Is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding)”. The result is a warm, expansive appraisal that frames these songs as essential pieces of Ritter’s late-career work, songs that balance wonder and worry and stick with you long after they end.

Key Points

• “You Won’t Dig My Grave” is the best for its defiant anthem quality and convincing delivery.
• The album’s core strengths are literate storytelling, sweeping arrangements, and the ability to balance wonder with worry.

Themes

Critic's Take

Josh Ritter keeps doing what he does best on I Believe In You, My Honeydew, turning weariness into uplift with crystalline lyrics and evocative arrangements. The reviewer's ear is caught by “You Won’t Dig My Grave” with its soaring lap steel and gospel-inflected choruses, and by the title cut “Honeydew (No Light)” with its swampy New Orleans shuffle. He notes how “Truth is a Dimension (Both Invisible and Blinding)” offers intimate fingerpicking and how “Kudzu Vines” explodes into a towering chorus and instrumental bridge. Overall, the best tracks on I Believe In You, My Honeydew balance lyrical depth with musical uplift, making songs like “You Won’t Dig My Grave” and “Honeydew (No Light)” stand out as the album's highlights.

Key Points

• The best song is "You Won't Dig My Grave" because its gospel-inflected choruses and soaring lap steel make its defiant anthem unforgettable.
• The album's core strengths are lyrical ingenuity and the ability to turn weariness into uplifting, diverse musical settings.

Themes