Rita Hosking's seven-song EP Little Boat is a little gem of classy Americana.

Rita Hosking's seven-song EP Little Boat is a little gem of classy Americana.

I admit I warm to Rita Hosking because of the way a history teacher — for 12 years in David, California, where she used old songs as a source in lessons — took the brave decision to become a full-time musician and fulfil her potential. You can tell from her music that a literate and thoughtful songwriter is at work.

Her new mini-album, Little Boat, is more understated than Burn (one of the delights of 2011) yet the seven songs are rich and sparkle with class.

Hosking has a powerful, expressive voice, and she is clearly enjoying performing on what is in many ways a very personal album — her husband Sean Feder plays dobro and banjo, and her daughter Kora (who co-wrote a song) plays clawhammer banjo. Producer Rich Brotherton, at whose Austin, Texas studio Little Boat was recorded, features on guitar, bass and most everything else apart from the kitchen sink. The result is beautifully textured and harmonious Americana.

Burn was filled with high temperature anger at injustices and there is some of that in the song Five Star Location, about a town that has lost lots of its jobs to China. However, Clean, a song about the life of a student working as a maid, makes its points in shrewd and subtle ways. Blow Northwest Wind is an affecting track — and provides the album's title in the line 'man and his little boat, thinking 'bout what he's got to show'.

The opening track, Parting Glass, is also lovely, and in itself shows why Hosking deserves to be far better known.

Question 1. Indicate whether these sentences are true or false. Justify your answers with evidence from the text.

      a) The author admires Rita Hosking because she was brave.

      b) Rita Hosking has been a teacher for 12 years in David, California.       

      c) “Little Boat” gets its name from the song “Blow Northwest Wind”

      d) The author thinks Rita is very famous.

Question 2. Answer the following questions in your own words.

a)       What does the author like about Rita Hosking?

b)       Why does the author think this is a personal album?

Question 3. Find a word or a phrase in the text that means the same as:

a)  wrath (par. 4)

b)  female servant (par. 4)

c)  astute, artful (par. 4)

Question 4. Rewrite the following sentences without changing the meaning.

a)       I had to go to school although I had a temperature

Despite ………………………………

b)       “Why don’t we eat out tomorrow?”, he said

He suggested …………………………….

c)       People say that he was a very good footballer

He ………………………………………………

             

Question 5. Write a short essay (120-150 words) on the following topic:

In your opinion, what makes a good album?

Would you like to listen to some of her songs? Try:

http://www.ritahosking.com/fr_home.cfm