Customer Reviews

Under Cold Blue Stars

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Josh Rouse has developed into one of the best American rock songwriters that few people have ever heard of. Tagged as an "Alternative Country" artist because of the slight twang that infected his earlier efforts, Rouse's sound has evolved to become the kind of mainstream rock that was hugely popular back in the 1970's, but is considered progressive and edgy these days. That said, "Under the Cold Blue Stars" is good enough to deserve a Ryan Adams-like breakthrough to mass popularity. Rouse's voice is at times a dead ringer for Admas and his songwriting is much more disciplined.

The best track on the album is the single "Miracle," which contains a killer hook and a sweet meoldy. "Feeling no Pain" is another pop rock gem in a similar mode, while "Christmas With Jesus," "Ugly Stories," "Women and Men" and the quiet closing ballad "The Whole Night Through" are also excellent. The album is relatively brief at only 11 tracks, but contains no clunkers.

Overall, an outrstanding mainstream rock album that deserves a wider audience.

With "Under Cold Blue Stars" Josh Rouse earns a reason to be labeled one of the best singer/songwriters on the scene today, along with Pete Yorn, John Mayer, and Ryan Adams. Popping up in such movies as "Hamlet" and "Vanilla Sky" Josh is set to finally bust out into the mainstream. On this album, he takes a slightly more "homegrown" and mellancholly approach to his music than "Home". Definitely pick up this CD (if you can find it.) Stand out tracks are "Miracle" and "Feeling No Pain."

This is a beautifully crafted set of songs. All the songs relate to a relationship that went awry. "Nothing Gives Me Pleasure" chronicles the beginning, when you are so happy because you think you got the right one, which goes into "Miracle" because that person feels the same. Then you got a man trying to understand and be a part of his wife's fervent religious beliefs, then the child (children?) comes, then the affair, the breakup, and the trying to work within a comfort zone of caring and understanding. The musical arrangements shimmer-they are just beautiful and melodic, and belie the downbeat lyrics in many of the songs. He certainly doesn't have the greatest singing voice, but it is well suited to these kind of songs, and he sings with heaps of emotion and sincerity that really makes you FEEL the songs! It's a shame that radio can't find a spot for this kind of recording, because it really is one of the best cd's I've heard this year. Highly recommended!

Josh Rouse's third CD, Under Cold Blue Stars is a significant improvement over his previous efforts. Here for the first time, he has put together a collection of songs with a common theme (a "song cycle").

The concept of the CD describes the day to day pitfalls and emotional turmoil of two people trying to keep their relationship from falling apart. The songs are thematically linked and they sort of "flow" from one to another.

Fans of Rouse's previous work will be pleased to know that all of his charming embellishments are still present. His gentle, wistful delivery... his affable mid-western accent... and his increasing interest in 70's soul music (see title track here; and also the song "Marvin Gaye" from his previous Home CD).

The best songs here are: "Miracle", "Christmas With Jesus", "Summer Kitchen Ballad", "Women and Men" and the title track, "Under Cold Blue Stars".

Folky and surreal, melancholy and melodic, this CD sounds best when played in it's entirety rather than skipping around from song to song. I prefer to listen to it at night... and let it's bleak, ethereal and strangely beautiful vision sweep across my room. If you like neo-folk or alt-country (like Wilco) you will probably also enjoy this excellent CD. Highly Recommended !

This is one of those c.d.'s that I really loved from the first minute I heard it.It has a real sense of instant accessibility yet when you give it a few more listens you discover that it is an album of amazing depth.

Musically it sounds so much like Lambchop meeting the voice of Ryan Adams-at times the similarities are almost uncanny.Vocally Rouse has that same coarse vocal style of Adams and the background music has the sound I loved so much on Lambchop's Nixon c.d.It came as no surprise when I heard subsequently that Rouse had worked with Kurt Wagner on a previous e.p.Musically it has that alt/country sound but with a little more funky rhythm guitar playing.The tracks have a real laidback sort of cruising feel to them-especially the initial tracks.The second half of the album grows noticeably darker.And this is where I discovered the albums extra hidden depth.

Under The Cold Blue Stars is in fact a sort of concept album-as there seems to be a storyline connecting the whole thing together.The album's lyrics tell of a couple who live in small-town America some decades ago.The two main characters a man and a woman seem both very different and this album traces there happiness right through to their ultimate downfall.It sort of explains why the first tracks are so upbeat and the latter half is way darker.The whole mood change occurs exactly halfway through the album with the tale of adultery and betrayal with the track "Ugly Stories"-Rouse sings about how you can never trust anyone.You'd expect this track to be really slow and melancholic,but instead it's a gentle acoustic driven number with wonderful organ sound,it's almost got a resigned sound rather then the sound of complete anger or desperation.Things get even better with the next track "Feeling The Pain"-amazing chorus with a far greater rock feel to it-it would sit comfortably on any Wilco c.d.The following tracks chart the couples fall to ultimate separation.Track 9 "Summer Kitchen Bread" is the saddest track yet-acoustic guitar and the shimmering sound of a cello and some brief string moments-it's the first track where Rouse gives his characters a sound of true resigned desperation,where they look back on better times.It's a pretty harrowing track-but it's very subtle and the heartbreak only becomes truly apparent when you give this c.d. closer attention.The tempo of the closing tracks mirrors the slow death of the relationship by being pretty low-key and much slower in tempo.Finally we get to the story's finale with the sedate "The Whole Night Through" and it's grim death scene.This album closes with a whisper rather then any loud grand finale.It leaves you feeling a bit cold-that is before you go back to the 'cheery' track 1 and start the whole thing over again.On this c.d. not only do you get tracks of great quality,a fascinating storyline but you also find yourself listening to it over and over again!

This is one of the most hypnotic alternative albums of the decade! I love this cd. There really are no words to describe how great the music is. The songs are all beautifully performed and the melodies are all intoxicating and catchy. I'm not usually a fan of male vocals but I love this album. Definetly one of the best cds I have ever owned.

What is pop music? While that word may bring to mind the endless drone of top 40 radio, it certainly goes well beyond that. At its best pop music can be uplifting, reassuring, unassuming, and well....... beautiful. Josh Rouse's newest album just about reaches those aspirations. The record gives the impression of a carefully crafted piece of art, as Josh seems to squeeze out every ounce of meaning from each word. The songs themselves seem to defy characterizations, "Summer Kitchen Ballad" may be a pure folk song, most of the others blend and mix genres, such as 60's British pop and even 70's R&B, all while maintaining a folk backbone. In this manner, Josh Rouse is able to create an fresh somewhat experimental sound that is far more accessible then Wilco's excellent yet daunting "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot." I wont bore you with a song-by-song account, however I will say that it is amazing that the energetic single "Feeling No Pain" did not get a little airplay. If you are the type of person who enjoys a great pop album, or wants to hear something just a little different buy this album you wont be disappointed.

First heard Josh Rouse in Nashville playing under a pseudonym and the set was awesome! I was shocked that he started with a ballad, "Nothing gives me pleasure", but I was instantly hooked. The next day I ran out to buy the CD because I had to hear his intense lyrics and groovy hooks again. Two nights later his songs were getting air time in the hippest joints in town. This album is a departure from the ambient music/mood of his previous efforts and will most definately be his breakthrough CD. GET IT NOW!!!

Josh Rouse's music is a total find and will be especially loved by anybody who has trouble deciding between pop, country, and R and B when playing their stereo and thinking at night. His songs combine pop catchiness with country heartbreak and R and B rhythm. It's both immediate and lasting. All three of his long players make it into my rotation alongside "heavyweights" like Hank Williams, the Beatles, and the Miracles, and he manages that without reinventing the wheel. Great pop, played with warmth and feeling. No going wrong with this release or his earlier efforts, Home and Dressed Up Like Nebraska.

This is simply another stellar effort from Jouse Rouse. While there might not be an obvious single off this disc (of course, I thought "Laughter" should have been huge, so what do I know?), there is a fluidity and melodic consistency that makes it a very addictive piece of work. These are just beautifully crafted soundscapes that grow and payoff with repeated listenings. When I initially listened to the disc, the title track was not an immediate hit for me, but I would have to say that it is now probably my favorite track. While there are obvious similarities to the songwriting formula that helped propel Rouse's first two discs there is also a definite evolution of sound on display here. I've probably listened to this disc 50 times in the first couple of weeks that I've owned it and I can't keep the songs out of my head. My six year old loves this disc and knows the words better than I do. Of course, the kid has consistently demonstrated excellent taste for his age, so you shouldn't hesitate to trust his judgment on this one.