The 2011 album Josh Rouse and the Long Vacations somehow slipped entirely past my radar. Not to the point that I don’t own it (obviously I do, because it showed up on a Random iTunes Weekend) but, given that Rouse is one of my favorite artists, it’s bizarre that it’s completely new to me.

This album came out during Rouse’s Mediterranean phase, when he was living in Spain and dabbling in world music. His previous album, 2010’s El Turista, consisted almost entirely of songs sung in Spanish. So maybe I mistakenly thought this one was more of the same.

Browsing the album today, I find myself recognizing several of its songs, which deepens the mystery. Did I encounter them on a between-album EP? Have they popped up on a Josh Rouse playlist on shuffle?

At any rate, this is a breezy album that ranks below Rouse’s best work but makes for a perfectly enjoyable weekend listen.