Those sparrows sang for you

It seems inconceivable that the songs Josh Rouse writes weren't there before: the arrangements are simple, the melodies are concise and familiar, the lyrics are seemingly unremarkable. Upon further listens, though, you realize that his music is actually very unique, because he's taking three-chord songs and making them little three-minute epics. I had a tough time choosing a song, but I decided Josh's newest album 1972 could use some attention. As concept albums go, it doesn't stick too strongly to its concept. While there are some Steely Dan touches and a little bit of "Hustle"-era flute flourish, 1972 (the year Josh was born) isn't a weak retro trip. Its feet are planted in the seventies at certain points, including name- and lyric-checking Carole King in the title song, but it's never distracting. There are many good songs to choose from here (Sunshine and Come Back being my favorites), but I thought Sparrows Over Birmingham was well-suited for a sleepy Sunday morning. The good points of this song are subtle: the call-and-response vocals that appear near the end, the falsetto breaks between verses, the organ under the second verse. Buy 1972 here or pick it up on iTunes.