Josh Rouse, El Turista
An elegant and sophisticated brand of off-kilter pop
The album's title translates to "The Tourist," but Josh Rouse's latest offering suggests he's becoming increasingly more like a full-fledged resident of Spain since his relocation there a few years ago. Little has changed in the fundamental appeal of his music — an elegant and sophisticated brand of off-kilter pop, notably reliant on piano and strings, that recalls the likes of Harry Nilsson and even Vince Guaraldi — but an Iberian influence is clearly seeping in, from flamenco-flavored rhythms to his adopted native tongue. Indeed, four of the 10 songs here are sung in Spanish: "Valencia" (which first appeared on last year's EP of the same name), "Duerme," "Mesie Julian" and "Las Voces." Elsewhere, Rouse tosses a curveball with the tracks "Lemon Tree" and "Cotton Eye Joe" — neither of which are the well known standards with those titles, but rather are new compositions simply borrowing their names. The former is reminiscent of '80s pop band the Dream Academy, while the latter is a beautiful mood piece, casting a lazy-afternoon spell with a simple piano riff and chamber-jazz accents. "Sweet Elaine" is perhaps most reflective of Rouse's earlier work, gradually unfolding into an exquisite sonic landscape of swirling melody and churning rhythm.
