Rating: NNN
The product of a Tennessee boy who moved to a tiny town in Spain, Rouse’s sixth full-lengther gives you a pretty good idea of what life is like away from the hustle and bustle. A quiet, reflective mood dominates, and although there are some subtle string arrangements and percussion, it’s largely just Rouse’s hushed vocals and acoustic guitar that carry you along. And what a nice journey it is for someone looking to chill on a sunny Saturday afternoon and who doesn’t want to be brought down by dark, depressing lyrics. The fey, sappy moments (like the whole of Wonderful) are few and far between. Much better is the great duet with Paz Suay, The Man Who, which suggests Rouse should work more with her in the future they harmonize like angels all too briefly here. With Subtitulo, Josh Rouse may just prove to be the missing link between Jack Johnson and Conor Oberst.
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