Uncle Zeke's Top 20 o' 2013: #15- JOSH ROUSE: "The Happiness Waltz"

#15: JOSH ROUSE- "The Happiness Waltz"

The thing I really, REALLY like about Josh Rouse is his chameleon-like ability to absorb his surroundings into his music. The earliest album of Josh Rouse that I'M familiar with is '1972', a 2003 release that was stylistically written to sound like the AM radio hits of 1972, the year he was born.  He successfully managed to recreate the sounds of a seemingly more innocent time... at least for me, a person that was just beginning his elementary education the year Mr. Rouse was born. 

His follow-up, 2005's "Nashville", was inspired by the city he was currently living in. Yes, you guessed it... Nashville, Tenn.  While Nashville is best known for its array of Country artists, Josh never succumbed to that extent. Instead, he absorbed some of the Alt-Country sounds... namely some tasty, yet moody, steel guitar.

Since 2004, he has resided in Spain, where he is married to a Spanish woman, helping to raise their two children. While he still records... a few albums absorbing the sounds of Spain... he remains a dedicated husband and father, making his family his priority. 

In this, 2013's "The Happiness Waltz", Josh seems to draw from all his influences, creating an album of soft-spoken Folk music, complete with the various influences that have impacted his music throughout his career. The noticeable exception being the lack of Spanish songs that were scattered about on his more recent releases. It has been said that, while the music of "The Happiness Waltz" once again travels into the past, the lyrics remain very contemporary, focusing on what is currently happening in his life.  Josh, himself, has said that songwriting is his therapy, that he writes to help himself "stay on the sunny side of life". Oh, if only we all had that same creative outlet.

Anyhoo... why don't we all sit back and enjoy the bright, sunny music that Josh Rouse has to offer...

"Julie (Come Out Of The Rain)"

"The Happiness Waltz"

And just because I love this song so much...

"Love Vibration", from 1972