His most recent release, The Embers of Time, was one of his strongest-self-described as “my surreal, ex-pat, therapy record.” Charles Pitter astutely noted in Pop Matters. Honestly, my husband and I can't figure out why he isn't more well known than he is. It is more similar to his work before it began to have the Spanish vibe. I really enjoy the CD and love his writing style and lyrics. In 2014, he won a Goya Award (the Spanish equivalent of an Oscar) for best song for "Do You Really Want To Be In Love," from the film 'La Gran Familia Española.' I have patiently waited for Josh Rouse to return to my city on tour and was rewarded when 'The Embers of Time' was released. On El Turista (2010) he even experimented with writing and singing some songs in Spanish. Subtitulo (2006) contained the international indie folk hit "Quiet Town". The follow up, Nashville (2005) continued the hot streak and expanded his audience further.Īfter relocating to Valencia, Spain with his wife Paz, Rouse has released a steady stream of high quality songs and albums. Noting that he’d earned a reputation for melancholy, he says, with a laugh, “I figured this is my career, I might as well try to enjoy it.” While the Seventies are often identified with singer-songwriters, Rouse was primarily attracted to the warmer sound of albums back then, as well as the more communal feel of the soul music of that time. But at the end of the day, no matter how eclectic I try to make it, it’s my voice and melodic sensibility that tie things together.”įor his breakthrough album, 1972 (2003), which happens to be the year he was born, Rouse decided to cheer up a bit. “I always became fascinated by a different style of music. “Every time I’ve made a record, I’ve tried to make it different from the last one,” says Rouse. Charles Pitter astutely noted in Pop Matters. The followup- Home (2000)-yielded the song “Directions” which Cameron Crowe used in his film Vanilla Sky. His most recent release, The Embers of Time, was one of his strongestself-described as my surreal, ex-pat, therapy record. The album’s acclaim led to tours with Aimee Mann, Mark Etzel and the late Vic Chestnut. Josh Rouse was born in Nebraska, and following an itinerant upbringing he eventually landed in Nashville where he recorded his debut Dressed Like Nebraska (1998). They resolve without seeming overly tidy or pat. The verses draw you in with telling detail, both musical and thematic, and the choruses lift and deliver. Without pandering, they seek to satisfy both your ear and your understanding. They are clear-eyed, empathetic and penetrating. His songs present themselves to you with an open heart, an innate intelligence and an absolute lack of pretension. You don’t have to work hard to enjoy Rouse’s music. But don’t worry, it all works magnificently.“Like a baseball player who quietly hits 30 home runs every year or a golfer who regularly finishes in the Top Ten, Josh Rouse's continued streak of excellence is easy to ignore and maybe even downplay a little” - Tim Sendra, Throw in a bit of Spain, along with the obligatory Nick Drake reference, and you’re probably left…confused. Rouse and co-producer/multi-instrumentalist/most valuable player David Henry have created a musical backdrop that mixes the intricate arrangements of fellow Cornhuskers Lullaby For The Working Class (the cello, the trumpet, the violin) with the “flatter than a tabletop” heartland-rock of James McMurtry. The prevailing anguish doesn’t even allow him the strength to properly finish the line, all the time painfully aware of what is ultimately a non-decision.Įverything about this record, from the artwork’s period photographs to song titles such as “Reminiscent” and “A Simple Thing” to the luxurious production, is awash in moody rural flatland ambiance. “Happy and willing to die/For your love,” he somberly trails off in “The White Trash Period Of My Life”. Rouse’s songwriting style defers to verbal snapshots of moments in time rather than drawn-out storytelling his vocals are always imbued with a sense of raggedly honest emotion. “We could move back to the suburbs/Rent a house, change our name/If you could only find a purpose/If you could only stay the same” the Nebraska native pleads over an expansive soundscape of drums, bass, noir guitar, organ and cello before breathlessly finishing the thought with “I could help you open and unfurl.” It’s a exasperatingly beautiful sentiment on the elegant opening track, “Suburban Sweetheart”, and is a sign of everything that is soon to come. And it’s just one example of the allusive wordplay Josh Rouse employs throughout his very impressive out-of-nowhere debut. Though I’m still unsure of exactly what the intended conveyance is, it’s nonetheless one hell of a metaphor. While not necessarily triggering any specific imagery, the album title says it all.
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