Josh Rouse is trying to convince himself that his 2006 relocation to Spain didn’t completely alienate his American fan base. It hasn’t, really. But he can’t deny that life overseas has done a number on him. A failed first marriage prompted Rouse’s move from Nashville to Spain, where a relationship with artist Paz Suay has led to a blissful family life in the country’s third largest city. Rouse returned to the U.S. briefly, living in Brooklyn with his wife and embarking an admittedly underwhelming tour behind 2007’s Country Mouse City House. Then Suay became pregnant with their first child, and access to the in-laws and the prospect of a more stable life lured them back to Spain. Rouse is now the father of two young boys, and his frequent This Is 40-style befuddlement laid the thematic groundwork for The Happiness Waltz (Yep Roc). His ninth proper solo album is an overdue return to the tastefully swinging and sophisticated folk/pop that elevated 1972 and Nashville, both recorded not long before his Spanish immersion. Rouse will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our brand new feature on him.
Rouse: My guitarist Xema is a fine paella chef. Paella, of course, is the famous Spanish rice dish cooked with either chicken, fish or the Euro-favorite cuddly rabbit. My personal favorite is arroz a banda, which has shrimp and cuttle fish in it. Usually eaten with aioli to scare the vampires away for days. Don’t buy the boxed-up recipe they sell at the store; not even close. It has to be cooked in the proper pan, which is called, of all things, a “paella.” I recommend the Valencia area for dining options.
Video after the jump.
