Sonically, The Happiness Waltz takes a trip back into Rouse's early-2000's period. A number of the new tracks could easily find a home on the AM radio of the late 1970's, nestled between some of the biggest songs of the day.
Lyrically, The Happiness Waltz is very much an album in the present, featuring some of Rouse's most personal songs to date. Rouse reunites with producer Brad Jones, who produced and engineered two of his most beloved albums, 1972 (2003) and Nashville (2005). The common thread running throughout The Happiness Waltz is derived from a newfound wisdom that can only be the result of life-changing transitions.