Album Review: Little Boat, by Rita Hosking

Rita's fifth offering in her accomplished folk/country career is a subdued, laidback affair, but the musical style allows for Rita's impressive songwriting and musicianship to take center stage. The lyrics on Little Boat are personal, introspective, and even haunting at times, and Rita's excellent vocals are the focus of the album. The musicianship is rock-solid as well, as Rita utilizes a variety of different instruments on the album, including harmonica, banjos, and even an organ. That being said, Rita's excellent acoustic guitar is the centerpiece of the instrumentation on the album. All the tracks on the album are pretty solid, but the standouts are "Sierra Bound" and "Five Star Location," a song about the loss of American jobs to China. All in all, Little Boat is a solid addition in Hosking's catalogue, and it's a definite recommend for fans of Hosking or anyone who wants to hear a thoughtful, laidback folk album.