But at the end of the day, no matter how eclectic I try to make it, itвЂ™s my voice and melodic sensibility that tie things together.вЂќДЇor his breakthrough album, 1972 (2003), which happens to be the year he was born, Rouse decided to cheer up a bit. вЂњI always became fascinated by a different style of music. вЂњEvery time IвЂ™ve made a record, IвЂ™ve tried to make it different from the last one,вЂќ says Rouse. The followup- Home (2000)-yielded the song вЂњDirectionsвЂќ which Cameron Crowe used in his film Vanilla Sky. The albumвЂ™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 donвЂ™t have to work hard to enjoy RouseвЂ™s music.

вЂњLike 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 littleвЂќ - Tim Sendra,

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