Customer Reviews

El Turista

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am a big fan of acoustic/americana/guitar music but am late to the Josh Rouse party, only recently discovering the Nashville record about 3 months ago. That record has been in high rotation, so after noting that ALL of his records have 4+ star reviews on [...] (8 records since 1998...this is NO small feat), I decided to continue with his most recent record, El Turista.

I was skeptical when I heard he had moved to Spain (after releasing Nashville) and had begun incorporating Spanish music (Bossa? Singing in Spanish and Portuguese?) into music that I had previously classified as Americana with country-flavorings (even pedal steel). After streaming his full album on his website for a week or so, I was sold.

Josh saunters between styles and languages effortlessly. The arrangements are lush, but tasteful...warm acoustic/double bass, bossa-style acoustic guitar comp-ing, strings, piano/organ. His voice is not 'beautiful', but it is extremely nice. He knows exactly what he can do with it, and often takes the song where you hope he would take it.

The record is like an aural massage. You want to grab a green label (or something with rum in it) and just recline from the first the note. The music is beautiful, bouncy, and surprisingly fresh. I love the mellow bossa nature of the record, but love hearing the lovely (and different!) tones of the various guitars that punctuate the songs: reverby, twangy electric guitar, as well as African-sounding chucks sneak in often to color the songs). The guitar work (and record in general) remind me a bit of Chavez Ravine by Ry Cooder.

I would think you would enjoy this record if you are a fan of: Getz/Gilberto, Jose Gonzalez, Jack Johnson, Paul Simon (Graceland/Rhythm of the Saints), Nick Drake, Buena Vista Social Club, Ry Cooder (Chavez Ravine). It is equal parts of all of those.

Josh Rouse is yet another in the long list of severely underappreciated singer-songwriters in American music today. Perhaps that is one reason why this, his eighth proper studio album, finds him exploring the Spanish side of life once again as he did in 2006's SUBTITULO. Rouse moved to wife Paz Suay's home country of Spain before the release of SUBTITULO, and while that album featured some obvious Spanish influences, EL TURISTA finds Rouse almost going full Spaniard, with nearly half of the album sung completely in Spanish as he expertly picks and strums the Spanish guitar against an assortment of Spanish inspired instrumental arrangements, rhythms, and beats. The overall effect is sunny, romantic, and fun and gives some sense of what it must feel like to straddle the proverbial Spanish/American fence as a young American emigrant in love with a beautiful Spanish artist in her native land.

Top track = "I Will Live On Islands"

I was lucky enough to discover Josh Rouse on his first (I believe) album, "Dressed up Like Nebraska," an absolutely stunning collection of songs that remains my favorite by him. Since that album, though, he's been remarkably consistent, even with his recent forays into whatever you call what he's doing now. But really, it's not that big leap. I don't know why some fans are dismissing this new album, for there are some beautiful songs on here, especially the closing track.

I am a new Josh Rouse fan, and the first time I heard this cd I loved it. I have listened to a little of his older work, but this one is my favorite so far. I like the diversity and fresh sound of this so much, I am buying for some friends for Christmas!

I do not like the Spanish songs here -- i.e. when he sings in Spanish. For some reason it makes Josh's voice sound strange to me. Perhaps it is his enunciation, which doesn't strike me as musical. I don't speak Spanish or Portugese, so that's not the point. When Astrud Gilberto or Bebel Gilberto sings in (what is to me) a foreign language, the vocal sounds and pronunciations themselves are musical and beautiful. But you'll have to listen and decide for yourself.

The songs are pleasant, and as the other reviewer said, not ground-breaking. I especially liked Lemon Tree. This is a quietly relaxing album.

For myself the standout track was Cotton-Eyed Joe, which does not sound like samba or bossa nova. It's laconic and fluid and lush, with just the right combination of guitar, piano, and symphonic string arrangement. Josh sings long drawn-out phrases that build and release musical tension. Marvelous and beautiful. Really, it transports me to another world.

This is not groundbreaking music, at least not as far as I know. The whole bit about singing Brazilian songs in Spanish is pretty much lost on me. I do know that Josh Rouse has a nice voice well-suited for these mellow, flowing songs. He is kind of like a male Astrud Gilberto. He has transitioned very smoothly from the poppy 70s kind of music he used to do, into a more bossa-nova type groove. Living in Spain definitely seems to agree with him. Great music for a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Upon first hearing the "Vanilla Sky" soundtrack, I entered a point-of-no-return into indie music. Within one disc, I found artists that remain my forefront favorites: Red House Painters, Sigur Ros, Josh Rouse. For a time - a long time - he was my favorite. I rated Josh Rouse & the Innocence Mission amongst my top 2, for all time. The innocence mission continues to reside there. Following "Nashville" (a wonderful album), however, Josh entered his own point-of-no-return. He relinquished his mellow indie-folk rock and transitioned into a lounge-bossa-nova-lazy-day genre. Honestly, I can hear that he is happy where he is. The past three albums, though, I have progressively disliked. For the first time in my musical life, I made the decision to NOT purchase a Josh album. It pains me to the core. There is not one track, though, I enjoy. Country Mouse only had one, I'm afraid: the beautiful "Sweety." I will follow him, longing for the days of lo-fi mellowness. I love Josh Rouse, and heck, he has to write music for HIS soul, not mine. He is being authentic, and man, that is awesome. It just is no longer for me. It is heartbreaking. I hope, without much expectation, of a return to "Nebraska" for my #1 Indie album of all time: "Home." If not, that is okay. Perhaps this is a farewell Josh, between you and I? I'll check in, don't worry. Despite the negativity, Josh, thank you for the immeasurable influence upon my life. I'll miss you.

I was initially surprised by the love/hate reviews this album seems to be getting by fan (critically it's well received), but then I really started to notice the divide in fans there are for Mr. Rouse. There's the pre-1972 fans who are in love with that indie-folk musician, then the post 1972 who love his more poppy but still really smart music. I'm one for the latter, and i think this is album is not only a natural evolution for mr. rouse, but definitely his best album since 2005's Nashville (which happens to be one of my favorite albums of all time, go buy it).

Rouse's album before this, Country Mouse City House, was pretty barren when it came to new ideas or anything memorable for me (cept Sweetie). It felt like his energy wasn't all there and he needed to do something. Now this music style isn't for everyone, especially not the ones looking for that "indie" feel, honestly that's been gone since 1972 anyway. The instruments, the cuban/brazillian/spanish influence is really well used and i think quite awesome. I'm fan of that music cause i heard my mom listening to it growing up, but it's used here in a completely accessible way. I love it. It's a very cohesive album, and everyone should give it a listen.

and "the musical demise of josh rouse", are you kidding me? This guy is evolving in a totally new musical direction and he's doing a heck of job at it. Just cause you don't like it doesn't mean his talents are dropping, this album just showed how talented he is.