Josh Rouse preview
Josh Rouse
Park West, Chicago
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Nebraska-born singer-songwriter Josh Rouse currently resides in Spain where he recorded his latest disc, Country Mouse, City House, in just six days. Released on his own Bedroom Classics imprint, the album has more in common with ’70s California than his new digs.
Breezy and mellow, Rouse’s seventh full-length infuses just enough soul, giving the nine tracks an oomph of midtempo ass-shaking. “Hollywood Bass Player” brings in a flowery horn section and sneakily finds a groove similar to Maxine Nightingale’s “Right Back Where We Started From,” while the chorus of “London Bridges” brings to mind Tom Petty’s “Accused Of Love,” but with less jangle. That’s not to say the record relies on derivative fare, but Rouse’s plaintive vocals and keen sense of melody are bound to draw comparisons.
The easygoing attitude and man-for-all-seasons lyrics put Rouse in a prime position to capitalize on television tie-ins. The weary “God, Please Let Me Go Back” is the latest Rouse title to be affiliated with a show, this time around it’s “House, MD,” which seems to have a penchant for doe-eyed acoustic guitar slingers named Josh (Josh Ritter’s tunes have also appeared on the drama).
Rouse’s tour diary is up on Paste magazine’s Web site to document this latest outing. Although reading about his 45-minute wait at Outback Steakhouse isn’t the stuff rock ‘n’ roll dreams are made of.
— Janine Schaults
Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly
I was at the show last night. Probably one of his biggest fans. Have seen him here before.
Seemed he was hammered last night. Kind of disrespectful to his audience because it affected his performance negatively. As the set progressed and he sobered up a bit, it got better.
The best news was perhaps he felt some guilt for that unprofessionalism – and wound up playing for nearly two hours. Made the first 35-50 minutes of drunken singing and playing worth it.
Clean it up, Josh. You have a gift. But you can’t expect us to pay money to watch you give a sub-par performance.
Tori Amos and Christian bashing – I was raised in an agnostic family but we were taught to treat other people’s religions with respect. The current trend for musicians to ridicule Christianity (while amazingly, never having an unkind word to say about Islamo-fascism, suicide bombers, beheadings) is starting to make me sick to my stomach.
Religion ridiculing is becoming the new racism, in my opinion. Stick to the music. Thanks.