Josh Rouse
The Holiday Sounds of Josh Rouse
Yep Roc Records
If you ever needed to pick a songwriter to get the job done – to always get the job done – like Neil Finn for example, high on the list would have to be Josh Rouse. He’s been making consistently great music across the last two decades, dipping in and out of styles, taking on assignments – making 70s-referencing soft-rock one minute, urgent new power-pop the next.
So it’s no surprise to have him nailing this latest project a set of brand new Christmas songs that won’t make you cringe or curl up fetal. In fact, chances are you could play it on any other day and apart from a few nods to St Nick you’d barely notice it as “Christmas” music – just more good Josh Rouse Music.
Nat King Cole gets a name check in a song Rouse has written called Christmas Songs. Which is about as Josh Rouse as you can get – he’s such a student, so aware, so good.
Put this on after your Christmas lunch – as a coping mechanism, one that will still appease whatever members of your squad demand some sort of Xmas music.
And then put it on for yourself on Boxing Day alongside whatever other great Rouse album you care to choose.
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