Josh Rouse
Acclaimed American singer/songwriter Josh Rouse will release ‘The Happiness Waltz’ in the UK on March 25 through Yep Roc Records.
Sonically, The Happiness Waltz takes a trip back into Rouse’s early-2000’s period, a time when so many of his longtime fans really came on board.
A number of the new tracks could easily find a home on the American radio of the late 1970’s, nestled between some of the biggest songs of the day. Lyrically though, The Happiness Waltz is very much an album in the present, featuring some of Rouse’s most personal songs to date.
Rouse reunites with producer Brad Jones (Yo La Tengo, Ron Sexsmith), who produced and engineered two of his most beloved albums, 1972 (2003) and Nashville (2005). The Happiness Waltz was recorded in Valencia, Spain at Rouse’s studio; with overdubs and mixing completed in Nashville, TN.
After nine acclaimed studio albums, residing all over the U.S. and touring the world, Rouse found his muse for The Happiness Waltz in what is most near and dear to him, his new family.
In 2005, the Nebraska native moved to Spain, where he now spends the majority of his time with his wife and two young children. The thoughts and perspective gained from his experience as a husband and father pervades the 12 songs that make up The Happiness Waltz.
Says Josh "Song-writing for me is something I have to do to stay on the sunny side of life. It's my therapy. I pick up a guitar from time to time and it spills out. I feel lucky in that, after years of being blessed by their presence, the song spirits are still moving through me"
The Happiness Waltz is filled with Rouse’s thoughtful, delicate and infectious pop craft, a sound that has become his signature. The subtle grooves of 'It’s Good To Have You' and 'Julie (Come Out Of The Rain)' blend seamlessly with the poignant 'The Ocean' and 'Our Love' and the jovial 'A Lot Like Magic' and 'City People and City Things'.
The common thread running throughout The Happiness Waltz is derived from a newfound wisdom that can only be the result of life-changing transitions. Breezy, summer-y - call it what you will - it’s an elegance that has been favorably compared to the Laurel Canyon/Southern California scene of the early 1970’s.
But at the same time, far from being retro, it is anchored in the most important part of the songwriter’s modern life - family.
And so here we are in 2013 - reflecting on a lyrical development & personal growth that has occurred over Josh Rouse’s 10 plus albums so far - from his early introspective catalog through his breaking out period where the world discovered his talents - a creative arc that has led to The Happiness Waltz - a perfect distillation of the old and new, and maybe his most perfectly realized record yet.
In an era where singer-songwriters appear to be a dime-a-dozen, he seems to be more than average, yards ahead of just a ‘run-of-the-mill guy-with-a-guitar’. When Rouse sings on 'The Happiness Waltz', 'It’s good to have you in my life', one can only think, when it comes to his music and this album, no truer words have been spoken.
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