John Mayer likes him more than he likes John Mayer

Forever in “Quiet Town”: Josh Rouse. photo by Dominik Sontag

Not that he’s ever Googled his own name — but imagine the surprise songwriter Josh Rouse might’ve felt had he come across a mention of himself on pop-radio darling John Mayer’s Web site.

“This CD is KILLING me lately,” Mayer wrote last October. He was in Dubai, of all places. “[It’s] by Josh Rouse, called Bedroom Classics Vol. 2. … I’ve had this CD for about a year now, and every time it comes on, I flip. I probably don’t even have the best Josh Rouse money can buy, but if that’s the case, more to my point … I want to tour with him. Booking agent man, can we tour with Josh Rouse?”

As Rouse rather stoically points out, “Usually it’s people fighting [to go on tour with John Mayer].” But that doesn’t mean Rouse is stocking up on Mayer’s CDs. “When I hear him on the radio I think [he’s] good … [but] he would never sing a little bit out of key on his records or put mistakes on his records. I like things like that, you know?”

Spanish inquisition

Little mistakes (like inconsistencies in handmade garments) add charm to Rouse’s recordings. His new EP, She’s Spanish, I’m American, recorded with his girlfriend, Paz Suay, is marked by creative decisions to leave the flaws unedited.

“Sometimes it isn’t easy singing in English,” native Spanish-speaker Suay admits on press for the EP. “While we recorded [the song] ‘Jon Jon,’ I messed up the word ‘plus’ (instead of pools) and started laughing, and at the end we found it fresh and enthusiastic and kept it like that.”

Suay is, no doubt, a major reason for Rouse’s current address in Spain. After making a name for himself in Nashville, he took a leap and moved to Europe two-and-a-half years ago. “Where I’m at is always kind of an influence,” Rouse says by phone from Nashville. “But maybe I’m a little too close to it to pinpoint that [a particular song] is about being here or there.”

Critics seem divided on whether or not Rouse’s ex-pat digs influenced his last disc, 2006’s Subtitulo (though the arty, gorgeous video for “Quiet Town” is a better advertisement for Spain than the country’s own aggressive marketing campaign). They’re similarly split on the album’s merits, issuing reviews ranging from gushing (“light, affect-less mood which quietly promises happiness without ever sliding into schmaltz,” according to Mojo) to sneering (“Connoisseurs of [Rouse’s previous album] 1972 will be forced to conclude the poor boy’s got sunstroke,” sniffed Uncut).

She’s Spanish probably won’t settle the matter: The five new songs pair clean indie-pop melodies with garage-band drum beats. Rouse takes the lead on story-driven lyrics, with Suay providing atmospheric backing vocals. Her voice is a warm, simple departure from the vocal gymnastics of today’s female singers. Think, instead, vintage Astrud Gilberto — an appropriate fit, even if the EP doesn’t break into outright bossa nova.

DIY success

Rouse’s career is marked by change. His early work was largely lumped under the Americana umbrella. “If somebody [calls me] Americana, that’s fine by me. It’s a generalization, but it’s definitely pop music … I mean they’re crafted pop songs that I work on,” he told Comes with a Smile in 2000.

Last year, he suggested to Bullzeye that his move toward pop was influenced by working with producer Brad Jones. “He’s into that whole orchestrated pop thing, and I like it, too,” Rouse reported.

But he isn’t worried that experimenting with his sound will alienate fans. “If I would actually have a lot of commercial success, I might feel pressures like that. [However] I’ve managed to keep on doing what I’m doing. I like to try new things and keep it interesting for myself. [By doing that] I might turn some fans off sometimes or I might make some new ones. That kind of goes with the territory.”

He adds, “I never feel any pressure to keep doing [the same thing]. My limited vocal ability makes it always sound kind of the same, anyway.” He laughs, “Which is a good thing. You’ll say ‘Oh, that must be Josh Rouse.'”

While the singer can’t boast, say, Josh Groban‘s range, his voice is far from off-putting, and singles like “Quiet Town,” from Subtitulo, are the perfect blend of simple and catchy.

Despite his self-effacing allusions to flying under the radar, Rouse is making a living as a musician and he’s about to have residences both in Europe and New York. “I feel really good,” he admits. “I put out my own records now. It’s a great experience — I make the records and do the artwork with my girlfriend, and it’s fun, it gets out there.

“We went to the mall yesterday and one of my songs was playing on the mall system. Something like that is really rewarding when you do it yourself.”

Josh Rouse and Paz Suay play The Grey Eagle (185 Clingman Ave.) on Tuesday, Jan. 23. 8:30 p.m. $15. 232-5800.