Rogue Wave

Historians, rock critics and sports announcers have all spent plenty of time waxing poetic about the sophomore slump, but don’t waste any time pulling out that reference for Descended Like Vultures, the Oakland, CA, quartet’s second album for Sub Pop. While the album defies expectations as much as it defies the odds, singer/guitarist Zach Rogue knows the score: “That’s the whole thing with the title,” he admits. “It’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop — this perception that everyone around you is going to turn their back.”

For the first time as an entire unit, Rogue Wave went out of its way to create a free-flowing album that includes equal amounts of tension, release and resolution. In the process they have made a brilliantly layered, expertly crafted album that changes shape with repeated spins.

Zach and the boys took time out of their busy schedules to make ARTISTdirect a mixtape! "Listen and Weep"

1. Cody Chesnutt - “Smoke and Love”
"This is a song that is a tribute to sharing experiences with friends while you have the time. It has a real doobie-smokin' beat that makes you want to hug whoever is next to you."

2. Fruit Bats – "Canyon Girl"
“Have you ever been with a person and couldn't believe it? Eric has. This could be our favorite song on the new Spelled in Bones.”

3. Waylon Jennings - "The Wurlitzer Prize"
"Waylon knows how to hone in on sadness using only a verse and a half and a well placed minor 4 chord."

4. Cass McCombs - "What Isn't Nature"
"People fell in love with REM without knowing a word of what Michael Stipe was saying. We don't understand all of Cass's lyrics, but this song is thunderous and beautiful."

5. Polvo - "In This Life"
"Zach is pretty sure he saw their last show in San Francisco. If you say anything other than this song is nothing short of amazing, you will not pass "Go" or collect $200."

6. Damien Jurado - "Like Titanic"
"Pasta sauce and pop genius are analogous in that their success is measured by the industrious use of simple ingredients to yield euphoric results. Basically, this song is simple and this may mess up the mix cuz you may want to have this song repeat a lot of times."

7. Bedhead Loved Macha - "You and New Plastic"
"Two bands decide to collaborate and make a record together and make this ambient coolness that is so dense and weird, western and eastern, hot and cold, soft and angular. The Cher cover isn't anything to shake a stick at either."

8. Robyn Hitchcock- “Vibrating”
"This song is so damn British. So rhythmic, hypnotic, repetitive, it makes you wish you could go back to high school and enroll in marching band with Robyn Hitchcock as the band leader. Think about the uniform possibilities..."

9. Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - "Yellow Brick Road "
"For the lot of you that are from Earth, let us introduce you to an alien friend of ours named Don. He is not here to harm you. He just wants to borrow your brain for an hour or so while he toys with your reality. He'll give it back, we promise."

10. The Damned - "New Rose"
“It Rocks (so hard)."

11. Ike and Tina Turner - " I've Been Loving You too Long "
"You know when a song is covered so well by someone that it should become their song? Originally an Otis Redding song, this version is so sexy, well, let's say that either something really nasty was going on in the studio during Tina's vocal take, or she is really good at faking "it"."

12. Stereolab - " Les Y-Per Sound "
"A song that non-dancing rock kids can bob their heads to that isn't influenced by Gang of Four. And a kick ass pop song to boot."

13. Gillian Welch - " Wayback/Back in Time"
“Drink a round to Nashville before they tear it down. This is the kinda song that's really good when you're getting near the end of the mix."

14. Harry Nilsson - " Turn on Your Radio"
"Gram likes to put this song last on his mixes. So subtle and sweet, it makes you want to lay down in your own bed, close your eyes, and smile."

Thanks to Rogue Wave for the wonderful mix. Check out their new album, Descended Like Vultures, in the ARTISTdirect store.

Rogue Wave was formed in 2002 when Zach Rogue took off from his San Francisco home, headed for New York, and came home with nearly a full album's worth of songs recorded. Rogue then quit his post in his previous group, the Desoto Reds, and finished the album, which was released on Rogue's own Responsive label under the title of Out of the Shadow. As he was completing the record, Rogue decided to form a band to promote it and soon hooked up with drummer/keyboardist Pat Spurgeon, bassist Sonya Westcott, and guitarist Gram LeBron. This outfit played shows in 2003 with the likes of Spoon, Mates of State, and other indie rock big shots. Sub Pop was impressed by the band and the record, and reissued Out of the Shadow in 2004. At some point, Westcott was replaced in the lineup by Evan Farrell and the band began recording their second album. The first result of their efforts was the 10:1 single, released in August 2005, and it showed off a slicker and more produced sound that managed to hold on to much of what made the first record an artistic success. Descended Like Vultures followed in late 2005. Songs from the album appeared on television shows like Weeds, Friday Night Lights, and Heroes, and the band kept to a hectic touring schedule. In 2006 they were forced to take time off as drummer Pat Spurgeon was sidelined by a kidney ailment that required a transplant and other bandmembers dealt with death (LeBron's father) and birth (Rogue's new daughter). The group also lost bassist Farrell and replaced him with Patrick Abernathy (formerly with Beulah). As if that weren't enough tribulation, the band couldn't come to terms with Sub Pop for future albums and was let go. They found a suitable label soon after, as their friend Jack Johnson signed them to his Brushfire imprint and released their third album, Asleep at Heaven's Gate, in autumn 2007. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide