David Henry again co-produced, largely replacing the acoustic tenderness of Rouse’s debut with a less earnest but more direct electric approach. And “Directions” adds grit to harshly self-critical lyrics (“Stay out all night and get high with your friends / Wonder why you don’t get one thing done”). The jazzy rhythm guitar line of “Marvin Gaye” manages to pay tribute to the late Motown legend without resorting to blatant thievery. “Laughter” is a Smiths-influenced tale of paranoid introspection with a fine chorus punctuated by trumpet and flugelhorn blasts. Home is altogether more confident, kicking off with a trio of excellent tracks. While the album lacks assurance, it’s a strong debut.
“Lavina,” paralyzed by grief, “sits alone in a chair / She doesn’t speak or write / Of any despair.” Elsewhere, the album nods to U2 (“Suburban Sweetheart”) and R.E.M. Sung in a plaintive voice, the lyrics tackle loss, alienation and missed opportunities. Equal parts mournful (“The White Trash Period of My Life”) and hopeful (“Dressed Up Like Nebraska”), the songs convey a strong feeling of restlessness. Co-produced by David Henry and Rouse, the sparse arrangements are supplemented by the careful use of organ, violin and cello (played by Henry). Despite his long tenure in the country music mecca, Rouse’s easy-on-the-ear style is far more informed by ’70s AM radio and ’80s UK pop than by anyone who played the Grand Ole Opry.ĭressed Up Like Nebraska paints a compelling picture of life there. Given Rouse’s upbringing, it’s not surprising that the theme of wanderlust runs through his first four solo albums. “Love Vibration” got the whole room on their feet and the band closed with a song sung in Spanish reminding us of Rouse’s adopted country.As a teenager, Nebraska-born singer-songwriter-guitarist Josh Rouse led the typical displaced life of a military brat until moving to Nashville in 1996, drawn by the allure of clubs and a thriving music scene. The back catalogue wasn’t forgotten with Nashville strongly represented by four numbers (“Why Don’t You Tell Me What”, “Carolina”, “It’s The Nightime” and “Winter In The Hamptons”). “Time” and “You Walked Through The Door” from the new record are perfect examples of that. Rouse is one of today’s best songwriters, concocting songs with a couple of chords, leaving space in the arrangements to emphasise the impact of the lyrics. The songs from “1972” and “Nashville” were treated to rapturous applause especially “Come Back” with its impossibly groovy bass line that also gave Rouse the opportunity to showcase his falsetto.Ī solo-acoustic version of “1972” gave a fresh perspective on one of his most famous tunes. The ethereal “Julie (Come Out Of The Rain)” was followed by the soulful “It’s Good To Have You”. The set list was a model of equity as almost all his albums post “1972” got an airing (except “Subtitulo” if I’m not mistaken). His band for this show is the same as he had during his last visit to London a couple of years ago but you could feel that all the touring they did after the release of Rouse’s previous LP, “The Happiness Waltz”, really made them gel particularly on the vocal harmonies. After welcoming us to “The Josh Rouse show” and asking us to reserve our most fervent clapping for the new songs with a sly grin, Rouse and his band launched into “Some Days I’m Golden All Night” followed by “Too Many Things On My Mind”, the two opening tracks from “The Embers Of Time”.
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