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Raised in Nebraska but relocated to Nashville, Josh Rouse debuted with
Dressed Up Like Nebraska (Slow River, 1998), an album that wed the
catchiness of pop music and the depressed feelings of alt-country.
Following the EP Chester (1999), a collaboration with Lambchop's
guitarist Kurt Wagner (who writes the lyrics), Rouse released an even poppier album,
Home (Slow River, 2000), featuring Laughter and
Directions, somewhat in the vein of
Freedy Johnston.
But the ambitious song-cycle Under Cold Blue Stars (Slow River, 2002),
set in rural America during the 1950s,
did not live up to expectations, despite trying several different styles
and arrangements (Feeling No Pain, Ears To The Ground,
Women And Men, Christmas With Jesus).
1972 (Rykodisc, 2003), dedicated to his own birth year, continues the
autobiographical introspection taking advantage of an even more varied
palette of styles. But Rouse's rock is becoming softer and mellower, to the
point of sounding like a revival of Daryl & Hall and the likes.
Nashville (Rykodisc, 2005) has little in common with the capital of
country music. His style is still, fundamentally, guitar-driven soul-pop,
with frequent echoes of Elton John and Billy Joel.
Winter in the Hamptons is typical, but best perhaps are the least
typical, the bluesy Why Won't You Tell Me What and the
neoclassical Sad Eyes.
The EP Bedroom Classics Vol 2 (2005) introduced a more experimental side
of Rouse, but
Subtitulo (Nettwerk, 2006) insisted in crafting country-soul ballads
(Summertime).
Country Mouse City House (2007), recorded with a full-fledged band,
continued the slow approach to lounge music, with horns and strings and mellotron. Little measures up to his past standards
(Sweetie, Hollywood Bass Player).
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(Translation by/ Tradotto da Stefano Marino)
Cresciuto nel Nebraska ma poi trasferitosi a Nashville, Josh Rouse ha debuttato con Dressed Up Like Nebraska (Slow River, 1998), un disco che sposava l'orecchiabilita` del pop all'indolenza depressa dell'alt-country.
Dopo l'EP Chester (1999), in collaborazione con il chitarrista dei Lambchop Kurt Wagner (autore dei testi), Rouse ha pubblicato un album dalle atmosfere ancora più pop, Home (Slow River, 2000), con brani come Laughter e Directions, in un certo senso sulla scia di Freedy Johnston.
L'ambizioso ciclo di canzoni Under Cold Blue Stars (Slow River, 2002), ambientato nell'America rurale degli anni '50, non ha però risposto alle aspettative, nonostante l'impiego di stili ed arrangiamenti differenti (Feeling No Pain, Ears To The Ground, Women And Men, Christmas With Jesus).
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