Carl Sandburg Visits Me In A Dream

Usually I’m skeptical of artists putting fewer than 10 songs on album–can you even call it an album at that point? But as prolific and talented as Josh Rouse is, I only have praise for Rouse’s newly released Country Mouse, City House (July 31st). The 9-track showcase has Rouse doing what he does best–playing understated pop tunes that will induce a whole lot of foot tapping and sing-along-ing (go with it). From the higher-charged “Nice to Fit In” to the organ-filled “Pilgrim” to the bass-trippy “Hollywood Bassplayer”, Rouse exudes a form of confident vulnerability–that is, he isn’t quite afraid to express his own insecurities in his songs. Even in concert, Rouse still retains a boyishness that makes him all the more affable, as he jumps from one song to the next in his now large catalogue of deliciuosly sweet, 70s-pop-rock tracks.