Josh Rouse Dressed Up Like Nebraska Vinyl

Josh Rouse is an American indie folk/pop singer-songwriter from Oshkosh, Nebraska. He began his recording career in Nashville in 1998. Josh started writing songs at the age of 18 and following a nomadic childhood which included a lot of moves, he eventually settled in Nashville where he met local musicians and began recording.

The initial recordings he put onto an 8-track recorder in his living room eventually became his debut album, Dressed Up Like Nebraska, which was released in 1998 on the Rykodiscsub-label, Slow River. Co-produced by former Cowboy Junkies member David Henry, who also played bass and cello, the album received critical acclaim from music writers/critics. Billboard wrote that it was “a dark horse gem...one beguiling record,” and “as pure and unpretentious as any singer/songwriter album issued this year.” Glen Sarvadyin his CMJ New Music Monthly review at the time stated, “Rouse is a songwriter with potential, and much of it is already realized on this debut disc.” Glen’s fellow CMJ writer Jonathan Perry called the album “a strikingly poised debut brimming with graceful, evocative songs about regret and desire.” It received a four-star review from Allmusic, with James Chrispelldescribing it as “one of those classic discs one hears about, but seldom hears.” The album received three and half stars for performance and three stars for sonics from StereophileMagazine. Josh went on to record 5 more albums for Slow River/Rykodiscbefore moving on to Bedroom Classics/Yep Roc.

ROG is issuing Dressed Up Like Nebraska for the first time on vinyl and expanding it to a 2LP set that includes 4 bonus tracks.