BY ARIELLE SPECINER
For the Daily
Published March 7, 2010
What’s the recipe for a typical indie-rock album? Start with a simplistic drumbeat, throw in some tambourines and add a teaspoon of clap tracks mixed in with a soft-sounding male singer. Then, for some flavor, add a dash of dance beats and a large helping of overly poetic (yet still charming) lyrics. Put it all together and the resulting concoction is Rogue Wave’s fourth album, Permalight.
Rogue Wave
Permalight
Brushfire Records
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The indie rock band from California takes a different, well-played approach on its first record after a three-year hiatus. On past albums Rogue Wave threw in a few dance tracks and pop-synth beats, yet retained traces of their folksy charm. Permalight trades the usual hypnotizing guitar riffs for some club-thumping bass and poppy lyrics.
The album opens with “Solitary Gun,” an acoustic standout in tribute to late Rogue Wave bassist Evan Farrell. Singer Zach Rogue reminisces: “We’ve been suffering the six days since he’s died / I saw a picture of his mother as she cried.” Despite such devastation, the band is able to produce an upbeat song and surround it with numerous other cheery tracks.
The band is also clearly taking more risks: “Good Morning (The Future),” “Stars and Stripes” and the title track each infuse electronica to a much greater extent than the band has dared before. While much of the album lacks true originality, “Permalight” contains the most unique sounds Rogue Wave has ever put out. Starting with tribal grunts as a glittery dance beat flows into the background, the chorus immediately grips the listener with simple but memorable lyrics like: “Turn the light / On tonight / Permalight / Say good night.”
On the other side of the spectrum is acoustic ballad “I’ll Never Leave You.” Rogue muses over his brand-new baby girl in the track’s campfire-like serenade as he sings: “The only thing I have is time / to bring back this blood line of mine / Well, I’ll never leave you.” The summery, feel-good song is short, sweet and to the point, with clapping percussions on the chorus and happy guitar chords dotting the mix.
But after all is said and done, Rogue Wave seems a bit confused on Permalight. It’s as if the band members don’t know which sound they like the most: hip, programmed mechanizations or organic folk. Permalight is a grab bag of solid acoustic songs, fun dance numbers and indie regulars, but as a whole it's a bit lackluster.
Nevertheless, Permalight is a delightful listen. The track “We Will Make A Song Destroy” perfectly describes the album as “digital campfire.” As front man Rogue retains his folksy lyrical genius, he pops up the record with perky percussion and digital doodling. And while Rogue Wave surely won’t cause a tsunami with Permalight, it’s certain to make a sizeable splash for newcomers and longtime fans alike.
