Tweet

Album Details

• Artist: Josh Rouse
• Album: 1972
• Label: Rykodisc
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2004-12-04

I waited for this album for about one year to come from a promotion company. I finally got tired of waiting and went out and bought it on my own and am so damn glad that I did. 1972 is the latest offering from one of my favorite singer/songwriters Josh Rouse. This is the strongest I have heard Rouse yet. I really enjoyed his last album but 1972 has outshadowed that one. The album starts out with the gentle title track and then builds into the classic pop feel of "Love Vibration". It's poppy without moving into the cheese factor. The fun really starts on the best Josh Rouse song ever, "Sunshine (Come On Lady)". It is outstanding! I really can't believe that he has outdone "Feeling No Pain" from Under Cold Blue Stars but he has. I will never underestimate Josh from this point forward. "James" is probably the weakest song on the set but it is still a fairly decent track. We get back on track with the piano driven, clap-happy "Slaveship". This one sounds like it could be a Wilco track with a little Tweedy massaging. It's got the sing-along feel along with the shakers that just get you moving.I would say that anyone interested in Wilco's output would drool all over Josh Rouse. On "Comeback (Light Therapy)" we get a bit of the 1972 feel going on with string sections all over the place. Think of a classier Jamiroquai with not quite as much funk. Then we get a beautiful ballad called "Under Your Charms" that makes my heart melt (as cheesy as it sounds). I wasn't too sure of "Sparrows over Burmingham" at first, almost a gospel song but it grew on me after a few listens. There are so many elements from the 1970's in this album that Rouse was bound to fall into a big hole, but he has pulled this project off better than anyone could have expected. I would say that Josh Rouse would have a hard time topping this album but then I thought that about Blue Stars. Amazingly enough I got an initial pressing (1 year after release) that came with a DVD of Josh Rouse and a video for "Love Vibration".

User Reviews and Comments

Log In or Register to Rate Albums