'I think I had been talking to my therapist about it, and he was like, 'It's OK to feel like shit,'' says Rouse.

Q called his acclaimed critical breakout album 1972В 'the most intimate record of the year,' EW dubbed the follow-up album NashvilleВ 'persistently gorgeous,' and PopMatters called his most recent record, 2013's The Happiness Waltz,В 'a big contender for Rouse's best work.' 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 EspaГ±ola.В But as he navigated the unfamiliar terrain of his forties while writing The Embers of Time,В Rouse found himself facing difficult questions.ДЄlbum opener 'Some Days I'm Golden All Night' finds comfort in accepting that there are no easy answers. It's also one of the finest collections in a celebrated career that's earned him plaudits everywhere from the NY Times to NPR for his 'pop-folk introspection' and 'string of remarkable records.' Hailed for his 'sharp wit' by Rolling Stone and as 'a talent to outrank Ryan Adams or Conor Oberst' by Uncut, Rouse has long since solidified his status as a songwriter of the highest caliber over his ten preceding studio releases. This is my surreal, ex-pat therapy life album.' All those things came out in this new set of songs. 'I started going back through my past and my childhood,' the Nebraska native explains, 'growing up and moving around a lot and never really having a father figure, per say.

In his sessions, Rouse was introduced to Gestalt Therapy, which focuses on fully experiencing the present moment and the thoughts and feelings it encompasses, with the belief that growth and change come about from a total acceptance of one's current reality rather than a pursuit of an alternate one. 'I'd been living in a different country for a long time, and becoming a father and being someone who travels a lot, I was having a hard time.' 'While I was writing these songs, I was having a mid-life crisis I guess,' Rouse says. From the ups and downs of depression related in вЂњSome Days IвЂ™m Golden All NightвЂќ to the reminiscence about a stepfather gone too soon of вЂњTimeвЂќ, probably one of the strongest tracks on the record.'I got too many things on my mind,' Josh Rouse sings on his new album, The Embers Of Time.В It was that realization that led the acclaimed songwriter to find the only English-speaking therapist in Valencia, Spain-the small town on the Mediterranean coast where he's lived for the last decade with his family-and face his anxiety head-on. Never noted for being the most optimistic lyricist in the world, this record sees Rouse putting his mid-life crisis to music. Rouse has now firmly established his style and with the help of producer Brad Jones creates a lush sound that welcomes the listener. вЂњThe Embers of TimeвЂќ released last week is a continuation of that album. After immersing himself further and further into the music of his adopted country (culminating with his 2010 LP вЂњEl TuristaвЂќ where half of the songs had Spanish lyrics), he returned to the sound his was ploughing on вЂњ1972вЂќ and вЂњNashvilleвЂќ with his 2013 release вЂњThe Happiness WaltzвЂќ. Josh Rouse is celebrating the 10th anniversary of Nashville, still his best LP to date that album was made in a time of turmoil as he had recently separated from his first wife and relocated to Spain. Louder Than WarвЂ™s Craig Chaligne reviews. вЂњEmbers Of TimeвЂќ sees him chronicling his own mid-life crisis. Josh Rouse continues his return to his classic sound started on вЂњThe Happiness WaltzвЂќ. Josh Rouse вЂ“ The Embers of Time ( Yep Roc)

Josh rouse the embers of time