Erik Ritland, a writer and musician from St. Paul, Minnesota, is the main contributor for Rambling On and Fully Alive. He was also Lead Staff Writer for Minnesota culture blogs Curious North and Hometown Hustle. Support Erik's music via his Patreon account, reach him via email, or find him on Facebook and Twitter.
The second half of 2015 was filled with seriously fun content. We reviewed albums from artists as varied as Built to Spill, Gary Clark Jr., Wilco, rapper Guilty Simpson, and lo-fi punk band The Wollen Men, had some NFL analysis, discovered fun facts about everything from supernovas to Johnny Appleseed, and even got a little spiritual. Along the way we covered the Twin Cities Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Festival, including an exclusive interview with local bluesman Charlie Parr, and counted down our top 20 albums of 2015.
Also included are the couple articles we published in early 2016 while we were busy preparing for our reboot. Check out the full archive below, and as always thanks for reading!
My Hero: Remembering David Bowie
1/11/2016
Erik’s heartfelt tribute to his hero, the late David Bowie. "As hard as it is for me to internalize it, I know that David Bowie is dead. But in significant ways he’ll never die. As cliché as it is, his music, his soul, and his spirit will live on forever. Although true, it seems like such a small condolence for not having him in the world anymore. It is up to those who loved him to carry his spirit and legacy forward, not only by appreciating and loving what he created, but also by creating meaningful music and art in the same innovative spirit. I am thankful and grateful for the place he has in my life.”
December in Review
As the year winds down we focus on the best new music with the Rambling On Top 20 Albums of 2015. #20-#11 include local talent, power pop, punk, dirty blues, and classic rock; #10-#1 new releases from rock, gospel, and country immortality and more.
The Ghosts that Haunt us: A Honest Assessment of the Contemporary Music Scene
12/28/2015
Many people who love new music don't want to admit it, but the past haunts the contemporary music scene. Are musicians creating anything as cool, creative, or interesting as what was being released in the '60s or '70s? Or even the '80s or '90s? In this article Erik critiques where music is today and looks to the future.
November in Review
The Kansas City Royals win the World Series and new Gopher football coach Tracy Claeys makes a controversial call; new music from members of Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, and the White Stripes; looking back at the misdeeds of Richard Sherman; the Vikings and the Packers surprise; the Vikings and the Packers don't surprise.
October in Review
A month that begins with hope ends in tragedy. The Vikings and Twins improbably surge; just as quickly the Vikings and Twins regress; some words on wisdom; baseball playoffs and a fresh Minnesota championship; bored with the NFL; remembering Flip Saunders, saluting Torii Hunter, thoughts on the retirement of Jerry Kill.
September in Review
Best New Music featuring the dirty, deep blues of James Leg and Gary Clark Jr.'s tasteful blues and soul soup; an NFL prophecy and two St. Paul boys make good; new melodic power pop from underground legend Tommy Keene and West Coast indie punk from the Wollen Men; the Vikings surprise and Suh doesn't; Family of the Year mixes Fleetwood Mac and Maroon 5; all about snooker (and Stephen Davis); organic, weird Detroit hip hop from Guilty Simpson.
2015 NFL Predictions
9/11/2015
It’s finally here: the push to the baseball playoffs! The NFL begins this week too, so here are the predictions of a great football mind. What is the most middle of the road division? Where will the Vikings end up? Who will be in the Super Bowl? Find out the answer to these questions and more in our 2015 NFL predictions.
Week in Review 8/30-9/5/2015
We say farewell to the Weekday Ramble series (until next spring/summer) with some personal articles from Rambling On founder Erik Ritland. The week begins with two Forgotten Vinyl features highlighting songs Erik listened to as a kid from Charlie Daniels, Uriah Heep, the Kinks, Focus, the Fabulous Poodles, and Trillion; memories of his first concerts with Foreigner, Kansas, and Loverboy; favorite live performances from Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, and Greg Lake/Ringo Starr; a goodbye potpourri from the Band, Stella, Jimmie Rodgers, Son House, and more.
Week in Review 8/23-8/29/2015
An American folk hero who was a real estate genius and specialized in hard cider; the beaver hat wearing legend whose nickname was Tick Licker; Carl Jung isn't a ladies man and disappointments from Bill Buckner and the Minnesota Vikings; scraping the bottom of the #Quote/Picture/Video barrel with a feature on flowers; cassette tape memories from the Who and Roger Waters.
Indian and Christian Wisdom at a Mystic River 8/25/2015
An Indian proverb teaches compassion, peace, liberation, and not being a fraud. Erik explores how it is similar and dissimilar to the Christian tradition, and how each can help with gaining wisdom.
Celebrating the Spirit of Rock N' Roll: The 2015 Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Festival 7/20/15
2015's Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Festival was about hot weather, cold beer, and the best bands that keep rock n' roll alive at its foundation. The variety of the 2015 lineup did not disappoint, featuring hill country blues (Kent Burnside and the New Generation), loose western swing (Bernie King and the Guilty Pleasures), authentic country blues (Jimmy "Duck" Holmes), filthy blooze rock (Catl, Left Lane Cruiser), hot jazz (Black Market Brass), stomping acoustic folk and blues (Spider John Koerner, Charlie Parr), and the cosmic soup of country western, delta blues, Americana, and rock n' roll that is Jimbo Mathus.
The Evolution of Jimbo Mathus 7/18/15
Jimbo Mathus contains all the multitudes of his Clarksdale, Mississippi home - not to mention its varied pedigree of folk, blues, country, and rock. Take a trip through the backroads and inroads of his varied career.
Minnesota's Bluesman: An Exclusive Interview with Charlie Parr 7/17/15
Charlie Parr keeps Minnesota's blues tradition alive with his unique mix of folk, blues, and old time music. He's also a really nice guy. He took some time this week for an exclusive, energetic talk with Rambling On. Topics included his upcoming dates with Bentonia bluesman Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, what he likes (and doesn't like) about the recording process, the dueling influence of Captain Beefheart and pre-war blues, and his new record, Stumpjumper, his most fully realized recording to date (and his first with a band behind him).
Jimmy "Duck" Holmes: A Blues Legend in Minneapolis 7/16/15
Jimmy "Duck" Holmes is one of the last living links to one of the most powerful forms of 20th century music, the country blues of the 1920s and '30s. The liveliness intensity of his performances prove the eternal vitality of the genre. Check out this review of his show at Minneapolis’ own 331 Club.
The Filthy Blooze Rock of Left Lane Cruiser 7/14/15
Gearing up for the Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Festival on Saturday, here's a profile of one its headliners, Indiana's gritty Left Lane Cruiser.
Also included are the couple articles we published in early 2016 while we were busy preparing for our reboot. Check out the full archive below, and as always thanks for reading!
My Hero: Remembering David Bowie
1/11/2016
Erik’s heartfelt tribute to his hero, the late David Bowie. "As hard as it is for me to internalize it, I know that David Bowie is dead. But in significant ways he’ll never die. As cliché as it is, his music, his soul, and his spirit will live on forever. Although true, it seems like such a small condolence for not having him in the world anymore. It is up to those who loved him to carry his spirit and legacy forward, not only by appreciating and loving what he created, but also by creating meaningful music and art in the same innovative spirit. I am thankful and grateful for the place he has in my life.”
December in Review
As the year winds down we focus on the best new music with the Rambling On Top 20 Albums of 2015. #20-#11 include local talent, power pop, punk, dirty blues, and classic rock; #10-#1 new releases from rock, gospel, and country immortality and more.
The Ghosts that Haunt us: A Honest Assessment of the Contemporary Music Scene
12/28/2015
Many people who love new music don't want to admit it, but the past haunts the contemporary music scene. Are musicians creating anything as cool, creative, or interesting as what was being released in the '60s or '70s? Or even the '80s or '90s? In this article Erik critiques where music is today and looks to the future.
November in Review
The Kansas City Royals win the World Series and new Gopher football coach Tracy Claeys makes a controversial call; new music from members of Pink Floyd, the Rolling Stones, and the White Stripes; looking back at the misdeeds of Richard Sherman; the Vikings and the Packers surprise; the Vikings and the Packers don't surprise.
October in Review
A month that begins with hope ends in tragedy. The Vikings and Twins improbably surge; just as quickly the Vikings and Twins regress; some words on wisdom; baseball playoffs and a fresh Minnesota championship; bored with the NFL; remembering Flip Saunders, saluting Torii Hunter, thoughts on the retirement of Jerry Kill.
September in Review
Best New Music featuring the dirty, deep blues of James Leg and Gary Clark Jr.'s tasteful blues and soul soup; an NFL prophecy and two St. Paul boys make good; new melodic power pop from underground legend Tommy Keene and West Coast indie punk from the Wollen Men; the Vikings surprise and Suh doesn't; Family of the Year mixes Fleetwood Mac and Maroon 5; all about snooker (and Stephen Davis); organic, weird Detroit hip hop from Guilty Simpson.
2015 NFL Predictions
9/11/2015
It’s finally here: the push to the baseball playoffs! The NFL begins this week too, so here are the predictions of a great football mind. What is the most middle of the road division? Where will the Vikings end up? Who will be in the Super Bowl? Find out the answer to these questions and more in our 2015 NFL predictions.
Week in Review 8/30-9/5/2015
We say farewell to the Weekday Ramble series (until next spring/summer) with some personal articles from Rambling On founder Erik Ritland. The week begins with two Forgotten Vinyl features highlighting songs Erik listened to as a kid from Charlie Daniels, Uriah Heep, the Kinks, Focus, the Fabulous Poodles, and Trillion; memories of his first concerts with Foreigner, Kansas, and Loverboy; favorite live performances from Fleetwood Mac, Paul McCartney, and Greg Lake/Ringo Starr; a goodbye potpourri from the Band, Stella, Jimmie Rodgers, Son House, and more.
Week in Review 8/23-8/29/2015
An American folk hero who was a real estate genius and specialized in hard cider; the beaver hat wearing legend whose nickname was Tick Licker; Carl Jung isn't a ladies man and disappointments from Bill Buckner and the Minnesota Vikings; scraping the bottom of the #Quote/Picture/Video barrel with a feature on flowers; cassette tape memories from the Who and Roger Waters.
Indian and Christian Wisdom at a Mystic River 8/25/2015
An Indian proverb teaches compassion, peace, liberation, and not being a fraud. Erik explores how it is similar and dissimilar to the Christian tradition, and how each can help with gaining wisdom.
Celebrating the Spirit of Rock N' Roll: The 2015 Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Festival 7/20/15
2015's Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Festival was about hot weather, cold beer, and the best bands that keep rock n' roll alive at its foundation. The variety of the 2015 lineup did not disappoint, featuring hill country blues (Kent Burnside and the New Generation), loose western swing (Bernie King and the Guilty Pleasures), authentic country blues (Jimmy "Duck" Holmes), filthy blooze rock (Catl, Left Lane Cruiser), hot jazz (Black Market Brass), stomping acoustic folk and blues (Spider John Koerner, Charlie Parr), and the cosmic soup of country western, delta blues, Americana, and rock n' roll that is Jimbo Mathus.
The Evolution of Jimbo Mathus 7/18/15
Jimbo Mathus contains all the multitudes of his Clarksdale, Mississippi home - not to mention its varied pedigree of folk, blues, country, and rock. Take a trip through the backroads and inroads of his varied career.
Minnesota's Bluesman: An Exclusive Interview with Charlie Parr 7/17/15
Charlie Parr keeps Minnesota's blues tradition alive with his unique mix of folk, blues, and old time music. He's also a really nice guy. He took some time this week for an exclusive, energetic talk with Rambling On. Topics included his upcoming dates with Bentonia bluesman Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, what he likes (and doesn't like) about the recording process, the dueling influence of Captain Beefheart and pre-war blues, and his new record, Stumpjumper, his most fully realized recording to date (and his first with a band behind him).
Jimmy "Duck" Holmes: A Blues Legend in Minneapolis 7/16/15
Jimmy "Duck" Holmes is one of the last living links to one of the most powerful forms of 20th century music, the country blues of the 1920s and '30s. The liveliness intensity of his performances prove the eternal vitality of the genre. Check out this review of his show at Minneapolis’ own 331 Club.
The Filthy Blooze Rock of Left Lane Cruiser 7/14/15
Gearing up for the Roots, Rock, and Deep Blues Festival on Saturday, here's a profile of one its headliners, Indiana's gritty Left Lane Cruiser.
