Asleep At Heaven's Gate

Performer: Rogue Wave
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: In 2007 indie rockers Rogue Wave moved from Sub Pop to Jack Johnson's Brushfire label for their third album, and the bigger, more polished sound of ASLEEP AT HEAVEN'S GATE reflects the change. No longer the intimate, bedsitter band of OUT OF THE SHADOWS, Rogue Wave sound all grown up and ready for the mainstream here. But while old fans might balk at the transformation, ASLEEP is still filled with Zach Rogue's excellent songwriting and penchant for indelible hooks. That knack, married here to a big-screen sound, is sure to score Rogue Wave a new legion of listeners. 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 When "Harmonium," the first song on Rogue Wave's third album, Asleep at Heaven's Gate, comes chugging out of the speakers with the extended piano and bass intro sounding eerily like Coldplay, you realize the days of Rogue Wave operating as a lo-fi, bedroom recording act are truly dead and buried. Their previous album, Descended Like Vultures, still had the feel of guys in a small room struggling to keep things under control, eking out studio time, working on a tight budget. With their move from Sub Pop to Brushfire and the patronage of Jack Johnson, the band has the time and resources to let their epic, arena rock tendencies run wild. The guitars are buffed to a fine gloss, studio tricks and computer effects pop up all over the place, the drums are loud, and the overall sound is huge. Huge, but hollow at the core. The little bits of dialogue and stray instruments that end many of the songs aren't going to fool anyone into thinking this is an organic, homemade product. No, this is the band's bid for the big-time, and in their favor, they really go for it, filling the record with loud choruses perfect for modern rock radio. Even Zach Rogue's vocals have morphed. In the past his singing was pretty straightforward, tender, and able to connect with the listener through innocent simplicity and honesty. Here, Rogue has inexplicably transformed himself into a belter, a showoff in a Mark Kozelek in the verses, Bono in the choruses kind of way. Basically he sounds affected where he sounded honest before, and that can't help but get in the way of the songs. Even the low-key songs more in line with past records like the pretty "Christian in Black" and the moody "Missed" sound phony when Rogue starts twisting his vowels. If he had sung these songs with more heart and less technique, it would have helped immeasurably. So will all these changes work? Will Rogue Wave "make it"? They just might, because as empty and homogenous as Asleep at Heaven's Gate sounds on the surface, Zach Rogue knows how to write hooks. A handful of the songs, like "Lake Michigan," "Like I Needed," and "Harmonium," sound perfect for network dramas, ideal for late-night runs through campus or pleasant Sunday afternoons throwing the ball around. The rest of the albums sails by with a mix of uptempo rockers ("Own Your Own Home," "Phonytown"), jangly midtempo ballads ("Ghost"), and dramatic ("Fantasies") and slow weepers ("Cheaper Than Therapy") that neither impress nor offend. You can't fault a band for trying to make a living and sell records; Rogue Wave isn't running a charity. What you can blame them for is making a record that trades in (semi-) originality, real emotion, and often inspired playing for alt-rock clich�s, too-slick-by-half production, and a general feeling that you've heard it all before. Asleep at Heaven's Gate isn't a bad record; it's an unnecessary one, and there's really no excuse for that. ~ Tim Sendra

Spin (p.110) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "Intensifying the light and shade of his tunes with finely detailed psychedelia, leader Zach Rogue picks up the alternative pop gauntlet R.E.M. threw away." Entertainment Weekly (p.82) - "ASLEEP is tender and well wrought...[with] psyched-out washes of guitar and vocals..." -- Grade: B Magnet (p.110) - "HEAVEN'S GATE has politics if you want them, but better still, it's a bittersweet, deceptively beautiful journey." Q (Magazine) (p.146) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[F]ull of huge indie rock stylings like Shack or Echo & The Bunnymen." Mojo (Publisher) (p.103) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "Rogue's voice -- as angelic and tender as those of Buckleys tim and Jeff -- is a joy throughout." Clash (magazine) (p.112) - "'Chicago x 12' is a gorgeous stroll through alt-American indie, aided by atmospheric electronics and some dramatic guitar flourishes."

Like the Shins, California's Rogue Wave represent the more cerebral end of the indie-pop spectrum, with textured, finely-honed tunes, intelligent lyrics, and a publicity-shyness that emphasizes their music over their image. Despite this, the band has had a number of well-placed songs on soundtracks, TV shows, compilations, and even video games, and has enjoyed a steadily growing popularity since releasing their debut album on Sub Pop in 2004. They went on to sign with Jack Johnson's Brushfire label later in the decade.

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