Due July 31st on Bedroom Classics, Country Mouse, City House is Josh Rouse’s seventh proper full-length album. According to his press release it was recorded over a six day session in Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain with overdubs done later in Nashville. Speaking of Nashville, that’s the title of the first Rouse album I accquired, and after enjoying it immensley, I have since obtained 4 others including his last full-length, Subtitulo, which was probably my favorite album of 2006.Â
Country Mouse, City House is a 9 track release clocking in at around 38 minutes and overall has a subtle dreamy feel. Horns, keys and tasteful percussion abound and Rouse refers to it as a “winter album,” opposed to Subtitulo’s “summery” feel.  But, don’t think that means everything’s slow and dark here. Track 3, “Hollywood Bass Player,” is a danceable fun tune that could have easily been part of Billy Joel’s canon, with “Nice To Fit In” having the same feel. In contrast there’s “God, Please Let Me Go Back” which features a playful walking bass line and has the lyrics: “In my life/I only wanted things to go right/Oh my God/I can’t believe the mess I caused/I want to go back again/Please let me go back again.” Can you relate? Yeah, me too.Â
The thing that Rouse seems to do well is to convey feeling to the listener. All of the songs seem sincere, not calculated like many of the singer/songwriters that top the charts these days. I’ve only had the album for about 2 weeks now and somehow it seems to be one of those that grows on you the more you listen. So, excuse me while I fetch another glass of wine and hit the repeat button.   Â
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About the author: Producer, Engineer, Musician and all around music enthusiast.