Josh Caress

"Perestroika" on itunes!



"Wild Wild Love" on itunes!



"The Rockford Files" on itunes!



While he doesn't always admit it up front, Josh Caress is old enough to remember the Cold War, having grown up in that last generation of American kids who lived under safety net of "assured mutual destruction" that prevented the two most powerful nations on earth from destroying each other because of their diametrically opposed ideologies.



But for a kid growing up in suburban Illinois in the 1980's, these things were in the background. For Josh anyway, life was good - his parents loved each other, there was a street to ride your bike, a yard to play baseball, and an older brother to pick on you. Josh used these experiences as the starting point for his 2007 breakthrough album, "The Rockford Files," called "a lovingly crafted and heartfelt work of the highest order" by independentclauses.com.



But he left Illinois when he was ten, moving around the country from L.A. to Michigan, to New England. And now Josh Caress is a grown-up, with a family of his own, and things are much more complicated. And "Perestroika" is a complicated record. The imagery of the title track, "Perestroika On My Mind," evokes political struggles and spiritual warfare, while other tracks like "Deconstruct," "Lies" and "Problem/Solution" bring indictments against the darker side of the current cultural climate. But at the heart of "Perestroika," there is still a little kid from Rockford, Illinois, struggling to resist cynicism, rescue innocence, and kindle the lanterns of hope in all of us.



"Perestroika" is Josh’s sixth self-released record since 2005. He has played all over the United States, from Boston’s Club Passim to Chicago’s Uncommon Ground. He also opened for Rosie Thomas in Grand Rapids, MI, where he was named a finalist in at the FFM festival at Calvin College in 2007. His music has been heard in the film Still On Her Keel by Halfway Rock Media, and has earned consistently positive reviews at independentclauses.com. Josh and his band, The Glasnost Gang, are currently performing in the Boston area and looking to add more dates to the schedule. Josh lives in Massachusetts with his wife and their son, Noah.



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Recent praise for "The Rockford Files":

"A lovingly crafted and heartfelt work of the highest order"

"Easily one of the best releases of the year"

"Caress harnesses a power rarely seen in folk/pop"

- Stephen Carradini, "Independent Clauses."

*To read a review of "Josh Caress Goes On An Adventure!", click here.*



*To read a review of "Letting Go Of A Dream," click here.*



Other accolades for Josh Caress:



-"The Rockford Files" named one of the Top Ten Albums of the Year (2007) by independentclauses.com



-named a top 5 finalist in the "bandspotting" competition at the Calvin College Festival of Faith and Music 2007 by Andy Whitman (Paste Magazine) and Michael Kaufman (Athsmatic Kitty Records)



-"Adventure!" named one of the Top Ten Albums of the Year (2006) by independentclauses.com