JOSH ROUSE
Josh Rouse’s music is the perfect antidote to the alarming noise of the news cycle. You can hear his calming, smooth voice at Hoboken’s 503 Social Club on April 25.
Rouse finds peace in his music, too. “The feeling of accomplishment, whether it be finishing a song or a concert that everyone enjoyed, is always comforting,” he says.
503 Social Club — which always plasters its walls with interesting art by area residents — is an intimate space that should be a great place to hear every word of Rouse’s deep, well-crafted, relaxed songs.
“My paperboy told me about this singer named Josh Rouse way back in 2007, and I’ve been a fan ever since,” said James Mastro, 503 Social Club’s owner. “Every record is better than the last, every song like a short film featuring people or stories that feel familiar, yet new at the same time.”
Rouse is a compelling artist with an impressive catalog of music, starting with his 1998 debut album Dressed Up Like Nebraska. His latest album, Going Places (2022), contains some gorgeous gems, including “Henry Miller’s Flat,” “City Dog,” “Indian Summer” and “Hollow Moon.”
What inspired the provocative lyrics of “Henry Miller’s Flat”? (see video below)
“I don’t know exactly. It kind of fell in my lap,” Rouse said. “I read Henry Miller in my 20s and surely snagged a few phrases for songs from his writings. I think I stumbled upon some articles on his mooching days of Paris.”
The cover of Josh Rouse’s album “Going Places.”
“Hollow Moon” evokes, for me, rumination and loneliness. What inspired it?
“A lot of my songs have this feeling,” Rouse said. “I grew up in rural Nebraska. Goes with the territory.”
“Indian Summer” is a gorgeous song of longing. Can you describe how you came up with that tune?
“When I lived in Spain, we used to drag out summer until October,” he said. “Every summer was Indian and I am a card-carrying Lakota Sioux.”
Will we hear many of the songs from Going Places at the Hoboken concert?
“The set usually consists of songs from a wide range of the 14 albums and a few covers,” Rouse said. “Truthfully, I end up improvising on the spot, taking requests.
“I never get tired of playing ‘Love Vibration’ (from his 2003 album 1972), I suppose because it’s much more upbeat than my other songs. ‘My Love Has Gone’ (from 2005’s Nashville) is probably one of my best. My go-to songs vary from tour to tour and year to year.”
Going Places was recorded during the pandemic, but since then, Rouse has been busy performing. “I tour all year round,” he said. “I’ve done at least 150 concerts post-COVID.”
The cover of Josh Rouse’s “1972” album.
The catchy “Come Back (Light Therapy)” from 1972 — a song that references seasonal depression — could be resonant at the Hoboken show, given the relief promised by warming spring weather.
“It’s a groovy tune that is easy and I still enjoy playing it,” Rouse said. (see video below)
He recently released an EP of cover songs and his renditions of songs such as the delicate “May I” (see video below), written by Kevin Ayers, and the sincere “Honey Don’t Think,” written by Grant-Lee Phillips, are haunting.
Rouse is a great storyteller. What mood inspires him to create?
“There is no one particular mood,” he said. “Inspiration comes when it feels like it and I just try to be open to capturing it. It is really about having an open mind and not being too self-critical in these moments. That being said, train rides are good for lyric ideas.”
Does he plan to release a new album soon? “Not in the near future,” he said. “I’m in Nashville, so I write and record with an incredible cast of musicians from time to time. I’m always chipping away at it.”
Since opening in 2023, The 503 Social Club has showcased an abundant number of artists, including Gary Louris, Lenny Kaye, Steve Wynn, Amy Speace, Tommy Stinson, Jill Sobule and and Ivan Julian.
Maggie Hinders, Jane Migliore and Wendy Setzer are currently displaying their artwork there and will host a closing reception on April 27. Issa Sow’s artwork will be featured next with an opening reception on May 3. His studio in Hoboken, which I visited a few years ago, is covered wall-to-wall with exquisite paintings.
Josh Rouse will perform at The 503 Social Club in Hoboken, April 25 at 7 p.m. Upcoming musical acts will include Sean Kiely and Jeff Taylor on April 24; Chris Stamey on May 9; and Eddie Skuller on May 10. Visit facebook.com/503socialclub.
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