{"id":15715,"date":"2013-03-15T09:09:18","date_gmt":"2013-03-15T17:09:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/?p=15715"},"modified":"2013-03-15T15:48:09","modified_gmt":"2013-03-15T23:48:09","slug":"the-trickle-in-from-sxsw-watch-josh-rouse-play-a-lot-like-magic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelefortreport.com\/blog\/2013-03\/the-trickle-in-from-sxsw-watch-josh-rouse-play-a-lot-like-magic\/","title":{"rendered":"The Trickle-In From SXSW–Watch Josh Rouse Play “A Lot Like Magic”"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"joshrouse\"<\/a><\/p>\n

SXSW<\/strong> has been going on full-tilt in Texas this week, though that’s only just now becoming apparent.\u00a0 The phases of SXSW<\/strong> have become pretty predictable from afar.\u00a0 Leading up to the “festival,” there’s an ever-increasing barrage of blather about the approaching music-industry storm.\u00a0 In that Phase I<\/strong>, PR horns are trumpeted and the scattershot schedules screened and screamed.\u00a0 Phase II<\/strong> is veritable radio silence within the calm before the storm, owing to industry folks traveling, meeting up and participating in SXSW’s early prep and playout as the festival gets going.\u00a0 Yesterday and today we have been moved into Phase III<\/strong> when the storm has unleashed resulting in\u00a0 the musical levee breaking upstream.\u00a0 Now trickles of reports have begun flowing in before the full flood overtakes the earth.\u00a0 Phase<\/strong> IV<\/strong> will watch the waters rise and the inevitable flood occur over the next 2-4 weeks.\u00a0 The reports, vignettes and hyperbole will wash over the earth following the industry’s return to their posts.\u00a0 And there will be standing water, sun, malaria and ear-plague.\u00a0 Something like that.<\/p>\n

We have mixed feelings about SXSW.\u00a0 What began primarily as a way for emerging\/unheralded bands to gain exposure (especially artists playing Americana–as it was quaintly known back then) has morphed into something completely different.\u00a0 Yes, new bands and artists can still gain some of the exposure they seek (though we will discuss another time:\u00a0 at what cost?).\u00a0 But you know you are wading in different waters within the\u00a0 SXSW ecosystem when industry titans such as Green Day<\/strong> are playing the festival (how far they have traveled up and down the music mountain since we first caught them in the ‘hood at the Gilman Street Project<\/strong>).<\/p>\n

As part of Phase III’s<\/strong> trickle, check out below one of our favorite, under-appreciated artists Josh Rouse<\/strong> performing his wise charmer A Lot Like Magic<\/strong><\/em> for Rhapsody’s<\/strong> Stripped Down By The River<\/strong> (with they sistah?) off his new album.\u00a0 Rouse’s hat-trick of mid-2000s albums, Under The Cold Blue Stars<\/strong>, 1972<\/strong> and Nashville<\/strong>, remain amongst our all-time favorites.\u00a0 And now Rouse has a brand new album out entitled The Happiness Waltz<\/strong>, and which you can stream at his site HERE<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Just listen to the sumptuous first song Julie (Come Out Of The Rain)<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0<\/strong>would you! \u00a0 It’s typical Rouse:\u00a0 understated beauty.\u00a0 American Songwriter<\/strong> is also streaming the album and has an interview with the artist HERE<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Rouse is out on tour in support of the album, which will lead him to the West Coast in mid June.\u00a0 Check out those tour dates HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n