1972 is a listening experience probably best heard on a dusty turntable. As the needle is placed between the grooves you will most definitely be grooving yourself. The album, released by singer-songwriter Josh Rouse in 2003, brings you back to a time where funk and soul ruled the charts and creates a unique sound that isn't heard in any other 21st century work. It mixes Rouse's folky chamber pop with the soul of the 70's and the product is a nice mix of songs that show why retro is a good thing sometimes.
The album starts off with a bang, a soft one though. "1972" is a quiet ballad that makes great use of the piano and Rouse's subtle vocals. It is a real throwback song, like most of the tracks. The record then moves onto "Love Vibration" which delves even deeper in the decade that was the 1970's. And with such a cliched title one would expect it to. The song has one simple beat throughout and also has a nice horn solo towards the end to finish things off. "Slaveships" is another highlight of the album. This one isn't quite as retro as the rest of the songs and fits more into the sound of the indie-pop bands of today. It seems as though every verse is repeated by Rouse. But it's the backing vocals that add a nice dimension to the song that makes it stand out. As the album continues "Under Your Charm" is another song that will catch your attention. It's a classic love-making song a la Marvin Gaye. With the line "It's the end of the night and I'm feeling sexual" it can only be that. The final song that sticks out in your memory is "Sparrows Over Birmingham." It's the best mix of folk and soul on the record with gospel singers on backup vocals at key points throughout the song.
So overall
1972 is something out of the ordinary today but would fit right in 30 years ago. It's a gem among the cliched sound of several of the singer-songwriters of the 21st century. Nearly all of the songs yearn to be listened to and it's hard to find the urge to skip over any of them. I find it's best to listen to this album as nice background music. It keeps you interested enough in the music but if listened too as your main activity you might find some of the songs to drag on a bit. But for those who don't like that soul of the 70's you should still enjoy this album for the more folk aspects of it.
Pros
A unique sound in today's music
Top notch vocals
Good songwriting
Cons
Some songs are a bit long
Some may not like the sound of the 70's
Recommended Songs
Love Vibrations
Sunshine (Come On Lady)
Slaveships
Under Your Charm
