Love in the modern age

"The overall production aesthetic is slick and appealingly moody, with the hint of a smile to reveal just how much fun Rouse is having dabbling in this sonic milieu. It's a welcome break after the heaviness of his previous outing and, with his smart pop songwriting and clear vocal delivery, the veteran singer takes quite easily to the role of new romantic bard".

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""I wanted to explore new sounds and write with a fresh backdrop," Josh Rouse explains in the background material to his 12th studio album. If "new sounds" means what was passing for contemporary adult pop in the mid-'80s, he's successful. Think bands like Prefab Sprout, China Crisis, Aztec Camera, a-ha, Howard Jones and The Dream Academy and you're close to the vibe Rouse is aiming for on this retro inspired ten track set ... It's inoffensive, unobtrusive, innocuous and difficult to hate. But it's also hard to get excited about as these songs quietly fade into the background like the music of the generally forgotten acts of the '80s Rouse tries to emulate".

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"It's not perfect. It's not really revelatory. But the guy realized after two decades of making solid folk-pop albums that he ought to put the guitar down for a bit and try something new ... Change is good, but it's not easy. Kudos to Josh Rouse for recognizing the need. But it should be noted that Love in the Modern Age wouldn't work if it were all synths and no songs. Not to worry; Rouse has the songs. His knack for setting a simple feeling to a breezy melody shines through again and again".

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