Dressed Up Like Nebraska is the first album by indie folk musician Josh Rouse. It was released in the United States on April 28, 1998, by Rykodisc sub-label Slow River.Chrispell, James "Dressed Up Like Nebraska Review", AllMusic. Retrieved January 28, 2015Reece, Doug (1998) "Dressed to Kill", Billboard, May 16, 1998, p. 22. Retrieved January 28, 2015
Rouse began recording the album on an 8-track recorder in his living room.Perry, Jonathan (1998) "No Parking", CMJ New Music Monthly, December 1998, p. 14. Retrieved January 28, 2015 The album was co-produced by former Cowboy Junkies touring member David Henry, who also played bass and cello and provided backing vocals.
Reception
The album received a positive response from critics, with Glen Sarvady in CMJ New Music Monthly stating "Rouse is a songwriter with potential, and much of it is already realized on this debut disc."Sarvady, Glen (1998) "Josh Rouse Dressed Up Like Nebraska", CMJ New Music Monthly, June 1998, p. 48. Retrieved January 28, 2015 His fellow CMJ writer Jonathan Perry called the album "a strikingly poised debut brimming with graceful, evocative songs about regret and desire". It received a four-star review from AllMusic, with James Chrispell describing it as "one of those classic discs one hears about, but seldom hears". Billboard described it as "a dark-horse gem...one beguiling record".Verna, Paul (1998) "Josh Rouse Dressed Up Like Nebraska", Billboard, June 27, 1998, p. 24. Retrieved January 28, 2015 The album received three and half stars for performance and three stars for sonics from Stereophile magazine."Josh Rouse - Dressed Up Like Nebraska", Stereophile, Volume 21, Issues 7-12, 1998, p. 199 The album also received a positive review from Les Inrockuptibles.Deschamps, Stéphane (1998) "Dressed Up Like Nebraska", Les Inrockuptibles, April 28, 1998. Retrieved January 28, 2015
Track listing All tracks composed by Josh Rouse. "Suburban Sweetheart" — 2:49 "Dressed Up Like Nebraska" — 3:25 "Invisible" — 3:34 "Late Night Conversation" — 3:54 "Flair" — 4:26 "The White Trash Period of My Life" — 6:46 "A Simple Thing" — 4:10 "A Woman Lost in Serious Problems" — 3:14 "Lavina" — 4:15 "Reminiscent" — 5:10
References