Nashville

Josh Rouse | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 22, 2005)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B00070FV3Y
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #73,572 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Don't be fooled by the title of Josh Rouse's fifth solo album. Yes, the singer-songwriter lived in the commercial country music capital for nearly a decade. Yes, he has been known to use the occasional pedal steel guitar. And okay, there is a soft southern lilt to his voice. But there are no rhinestone-studded cowboy hats or tattered American flags to be found in this "Nashville," an album of gentle AM radio nostalgia and understated folk-rock beauty. Influenced in equal parts by Marvin Gaye, Bob Dylan, and the Smiths, Rouse moves gracefully between intimate acoustic ballads ("Saturday") and handclap-drenched pop songs ("Winter In The Hamptons"), all the while delivering more personality and deft songwriting than his platinum-certified neighbors could ever conceive. -- Aidin Vaziri

Product Description

Nashville is filled with an atmosphere reminiscent of Neil Young’s "Harvest" and Bob Dylan’s "Nashville Skyline." His special affection for that city in Tennessee is played through a more elegant palette. From the pedal steel in "It’s the Nighttime" to the haunting strings in "Streetlights" to the fragile piano intro of "Sad Eyes," Josh has pulled out all the stops on this album.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rouse's Unabashed Pop Gem, March 4, 2005

By 

Juan Mobili (Valley Cottage, NY USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nashville (Audio CD)

I must start by saying that these songs are likely to draw a smile on Rouse's faithful fans. Particularly, for those who have rejoiced on the Pop paths this man has traveled on Under Cold Blue Stars and, even more, on 1972.
Even for those people, like me, who remain moved by his darker, beautiful Americana debut -Dressed Like Nebraska- this album will have plenty to touch you with.
Don't get confused by the title either, although there are some Country hues -mainly the tasteful work of guest Al Perkins' slide guitar- the predominant sound is gorgeous Pop. This album is a tribute to this man's beloved city -perhaps a farewell song, having recently relocated in Spain.
Think of a journal of sorts of what someone lived and is now leaving behind, from which songs like "Streetlights," "Saturday," "My Love Has Gone or "Sad Eyes" are remarkable entries.
This is further proof of the depth and width of Rouse's great songwriting, a body of work that -at least on my book- deserves much more recognition that it has garnered.
Overall, Nashville exudes what a writer appropriately called Rouse's "sunny romanticism." A certain soft mood, the feeling that life is going OK, that things may turn out for the long haul. Yet, where "sunny" may not mean too bright, and "soft" does equate to harmless or easy. In other words, you can have a sweet voice and know how to sing of bitterness. And Rouse has certainly lived through his share of setbacks and anguished moments.
This album is glorious proof that you may choose to keep your heart open not due to being naive but because closing will more painful. You may realize -to paraphrase Oscar Wilde- that hearts are meant to be broken, that the real tragedy begins when they turn to stone.
This is music bound to keep your heart permeable to life and, in some lucky cases, even more receptive to hope.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best pop record of the year...by a huge margin, June 28, 2005

By 

Paul F. Johnson (Illinois, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nashville (Audio CD)

Listen to this CD and then try to explain why "It's the Nighttime" isn't plastered on radios across this land. In fact, I think it should be nominated for our new national anthem.

Brilliant songwriting here from top to bottom. "Sad Eyes" in the eighth track is a gem most artists would put at 1 or 2, but not Josh Rouse...this pop masterpiece almost gets smothered by the quality of the rest of the songs, but it pierces through if only to punctuate the strength of the entire collection.

This is a beautiful gift of tight, dreamy pop that begs for a vinyl release (I can't imagine the depth this would acquire through an analog listening).

Please purchase and enjoy in moderation...addiction is a very possible outcome.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes Me Wanna Move!, February 22, 2005

By 

Brian D. Adams (Cary, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nashville (Audio CD)

I loved Rouse's last album 1972, and this album only continues the awesome grooves that made that such a good album. In fact, this album is most likely Rouse's best work to day, and that's saying quite a lot, since he has made such strong albums. Highly recommended, along with 1972.