Acclaimed singer/songwriter Josh Rouse will release The Happiness Waltz on March 19 through Yep Roc Records. Sonically, The Happiness Waltz takes a trip back into Rouse’s early-2000’s period, a time when so many of his longtime fans really came on board. A number of the new tracks could easily find a home on the AM radio of the late 1970’s, nestled between some of the biggest songs of the day. Lyrically, The Happiness Waltz is very much an album in the present, featuring some of Rouse’s most personal songs to date. Rouse reunites with producer Brad Jones, who produced and engineered two of his most beloved albums, 1972 (2003) and Nashville (2005). The Happiness Waltz was recorded in Valencia, Spain at Rouse’s Rio Bravo studio; with overdubs and mixing completed at Alex The Great in Nashville, TN.
After nine acclaimed studio albums, residing all over the U.S. and touring the world, Rouse found his muse for The Happiness Waltz in what is most near and dear to him, his new family. In 2005, the Nebraska native moved to Spain, where he now spends the majority of his time with his wife and two young children. The thoughts and perspective gained from his experience as a husband and father pervades the 12 songs that make up The Happiness Waltz.
The Happiness Waltz is filled with Rouse’s thoughtful, delicate and infectious pop craft, a sound that has become his signature. The subtle grooves of “It’s Good To Have You” and “Julie (Come Out Of The Rain)” blend seamlessly with the poignant “The Ocean” and “Our Love” and the jovial “A Lot Like Magic” and “City People and City Things”. The common thread running throughout The Happiness Waltz is derived from a newfound wisdom that can only be the result of life-changing transitions. For Rouse, it is his loved ones who have provided the inspiration.
In a time when music careers come and go faster than ever, there is something to be said for an artist who has maintained a level of consistent quality output, building a solid body of work that spans over 15 years. The Happiness Waltz is a sure sign that Josh Rouse will not be ending that streak anytime soon.
