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- Summary: The 12th full-length release for the singer-songwriter was influenced by 1980s pop/rock and was self-produced.
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- Record Label: Yep Roc
- Genre(s): Pop/Rock
- More Details and Credits »
Score distribution:
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Positive: 4 out of 8
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Mixed: 4 out of 8
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Negative: 0 out of 8
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Apr 13, 2018It's not perfect (Hugs and Kisses is something of a misfire) but it certainly stands alongside the best of what Rouse has done before.
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Apr 12, 2018Overall, it’s less of a curiosity than it might look on paper; not so much a departure as it is a confidently mapped-out alternative route.
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Apr 12, 2018The 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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UncutApr 12, 2018He's been inspired by the Blue Nile and Prefab Sprout, but in truth the synthetic textures and drum machines bring to mind a more downbeat Bruce Hornsby. [May 2018, p.33]
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Q MagazineMay 11, 2018There's nothing here to quicken the pulse, but like an uneventful beach holiday it's the perfect place to pause and refresh. [Jun 2018, p.114]
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MojoApr 23, 2018Most of the songs are observations from an emotional distance. [Jun 2018, p.96]
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Apr 13, 2018It’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.
Score distribution:
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Positive: 1 out of 2
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Mixed: 1 out of 2
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Negative: 0 out of 2
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Jun 6, 2018
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Jun 5, 2018
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