Beyond presents:
Josh Rouse
+ Rhona Macfarlane
Entry Requirements: 14+ Under 16's to be accompanied by an adult
You don’t have to work hard to enjoy Rouse’s music. His songs present themselves to you with an open heart, an innate intelligence and an absolute lack of pretension. They are clear-eyed, empathetic and penetrating. Without pandering, they seek to satisfy both your ear and your understanding. The verses draw you in with telling detail, both musical and thematic, and the choruses lift and deliver. Josh Rouse was born in Nebraska, and following an itinerant upbringing he eventually landed in Nashville where he recorded his debut Dressed Like Nebraska (1998). The album’s acclaim led to tours with Aimee Mann, Mark Etzel and the late Vic Chestnut. The followup- Home (2000)—yielded the song “Directions” which Cameron Crowe used in his film Vanilla Sky.
“Every time I’ve made a record, I’ve tried to make it different from the last one,” says Rouse. “I always became fascinated by a different style of music. But at the end of the day, no matter how eclectic I try to make it, it’s my voice and melodic sensibility that tie things together.”
For his breakthrough album, 1972 (2003), which happens to be the year he was born, Rouse decided to cheer up a bit. Noting that he’d earned a reputation for melancholy, he says, with a laugh, “I figured this is my career, I might as well try to enjoy it.” While the Seventies are often identified with singer-songwriters, Rouse was primarily attracted to the warmer sound of albums back then, as well as the more communal feel of the soul music of that time. The follow up, Nashville (2005) continued the hot streak and expanded his audience further.
After relocating to Valencia, Spain with his wife Paz, Rouse has released a steady stream of high quality songs and albums. Subtitulo (2006) contained the international indie folk hit "Quiet Town". On El Turista(2010) he even experimented with writing and singing some songs in Spanish. In 2014, he won a Goya Award (the Spanish equivalent of an Oscar) for best song for "Do You Really Want To Be In Love," from the film 'La Gran Familia Española.'
His most recent release, The Embers of Time, was one of his strongest—self-described as “my surreal, ex-pat, therapy record.” Charles Pitter astutely noted in Pop Matters. “The critics may long for drama and scandal, but The Embers of Time often demonstrates that a simple life could be for the best.”
Line Up
Josh Rouse
Rhona Macfarlane
Rhona Macfarlane is a singer songwriter from Scotland. She is a versatile musician performing with guitar or piano, often introducing new sounds with the addition of string accompaniments. Her songs are personal, honest and intimate with the mood being set by rich musical melodies and harmonies. Rhona has played live on the Janice Forsyth Show on BBC Radio Scotland and has been featured on Scotland on Sunday’s New Music: Under the Radar. Tracks from her latest EP “The Tide” have been played on several BBC Radio Scotland shows, including BBC Introducing. The title track was shortlisted in the top 100 for the 2017 Salute Music Makers competition. Her growing reputation has seen her invited to support a wide range of artists such as Rory Butler, Siv Jakobsen, Martha Reeves and Nell Bryden. In early 2018 she will be performing at the Hazy Recollections at the Celtic Connections music festival.
“softly floating “like a boat on silent water” you are transported away from whatever grey mundane existence you find yourself in, to a world of beautiful beats and scintillating vocals.” Ravechild
“singer-songwriter Rhona Macfarlane, whose emotional and reflective storytelling casts a gentle spell over her audience.” The modernrecord.com
“demonstrating an aptitude for penning a pop ballad, while simultaneously appealing to the trad community with a combination of acoustic guitar and fiddle.” Scotland on Sunday