HIS sound may suggest laid back Americana, but Josh Rouse takes his influences from across the world.

Growing up in an army family, he spent time in California, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota, Georgia, and Arizona.

Music was one of the few constants in a life filled with new towns, new schools, and new friends, and he took comfort in bands like the Smiths and the Cure.

After receiving guitar lessons from his uncle, Josh began writing songs as an 18 year-old and moulded himself into a skilled composer, eventually scoring a contract with the Rykodisc subsidiary Slow River.

His debut album, Dressed Up Like Nebraska, was released in 1998. He pulled up sticks shortly thereafter and resettled in Nashville, where he was befriended by Kurt Wagner, frontman of the chamber country group Lambchop. The two began writing together and issued a collaborative EP, Chester, in the autumn of 1999.

He explored the influence of his adopted home state, Tennessee, with 2005's Nashville, before settling in Spain. He settled in the small seaside town of Puerto de Santa Maria and began writing songs shaped by his new surroundings.

Josh’s album this year, Josh Rouse & the Long Vacations, saw him draw from the AM radio sounds he grew up with, as well as present-day influences from his adopted home of Spain.

He drew the album’s players from a mostly local crew of musicians. Across the breadth of these nine songs, the supporting cast exhibit an uncanny ability to interpret the material.

He’s taken influences from every place he’s stayed and, since he’s in Liverpool next months for a gig at the Black-E, might he take inspiration from the hometown of The Beatles?

“I am looking forward to playing the great music city of Liverpool,” says Josh, 39.

“The last time I was there it was 2004 and it was raining I believe. It was a nice crowd, I flew out on Easyjet the next day and bought some Beatles magnets in the airport.”

The first album he ever bought was British – “Saturday Night Fever by the Bee Gees,” he smiles.

“A great pop group really, Britain really has a knack with catchy melodies that don't tire.”

The Beatles rank alongside his favourite musicians too.

“I'm a fan of John and Paul as they are timeless pop song writers,” he says.

“Also a big fan of Joao Gilberto as I like a good rhythm player with a soft voice.”

Josh is going to be playing material from his new album when he plays the Black-E. It’s selling like hot cakes online, but Josh admits he’s not really familiar with the technical side of things. He can’t get his head around Facebook or Twitter.

“I use neither,” he admits. “I'm not much of a digital networker. I looked on Google. There are approximately 1,500,000 things to say about me it seems.”

Josh Rouse plays the Black-E on Thursday January 26 at 7.30pm. Tickets £15 (advance) available from Ticketweb & Probe Records.