Rogue Wave

Before getting into Rogue Wave's third record, Asleep at Heaven's Gate, let's get one thing out of the way: the band recently left Sub Pop and signed to Brushfire, a small label founded by laid-back singer-songwriter Jack Johnson. This is not necessarily an indication of the band's decline—My Morning Jacket signed to Dave Matthews' ATO imprint without missing a beat—but it does happen to coincide with what is sure to be Rogue Wave's most controversial release.

Departing from the band's previous lo-fi intimacy, Asleep at Heaven's Gate is a glossy, grand pop record—its orgy of detail smoothed over by a thick lacquer-coat of production. Zach Rogue's winsome tenor is doused in echo, the drums land with room-filling thuds, pianos pound from every corner, and strange sounds appear and then disappear. While the nonstop bombast can be a bit exhausting, Asleep is a gorgeous sounding record by any measure.

Yet, the compositions on Asleep can often feel overcooked. Many tunes hit their mark: "Lake Michigan" and "Like I Needed" both find the sweet spot within squiggly, psych-y touches and a barrage of loping hooks. But others, like "Lullaby" and album opener "Harmonium" feel like an middling collection of lite-pop melodies, rather than coherent songs. Any one section on its own is catchy, but strained juxtapositions diminish the album's punch.

Maybe it's the melodies themselves, which just don't achieve the effortless magic Rogue has pulled off in the past; or maybe it's the record's tendency to lead with its huge production, which handicaps the songs' immediacy. Either way, Asleep at Heaven's Gate is a transitional album for a band suffering from growing pains—it's up to the listener to decide whether it's as beautiful and flawed as its potential promises.

—Todd Goldstein
09.18.07

Rogue Wave's third album, 2007's Asleep at Heaven's Gate is a highly polished modern rock album that mixes the arena-ready sound of groups like Coldplay with the highly emotional approach of bands like Red House Painters and comes up with a sound that wouldn't be out of place on the soundtrack of any number of primetime network dramas. Where previous albums by the band have been more intimate affairs, the large scope of this album positions it for a possible mainstream break out. ~ Tim Sendra, Rovi