Though not quite a new band--their debut album first emerged in 2003--Rogue Wave is has been reaching a newer and larger audience with each successive album.
Permalight, the band's fourth and latest effort, is likely to expand that audience considerably.
Their second album for Brushfire Records, the label owned by eco-friendly recording artist Jack Johnson, it's a step up both musically and production-wise for the band--an intriguing combination of accessible melodies and surprisingly sharp, mature lyrics. Largely performed by singer/songwriter Zach Rogue and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Pat Spurgeon, with a host of guest musicians, Permalight is perhaps the strongest item in the band's catalog and a good indication that even better material may be on its way.
And aside from the album? The band's music is everywhere. Commercials, TV shows (One Tree Hill, Nip/Tuck, Heroes, Friday Night Lights, Scrubs and more) and anywhere else music can ostensibly be attached. Anyone who saw last year's film Love Happens, starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart, may have noticed that the couple watched Rogue Wave performing onstage at an outdoor concert while they were perched in the "cherry picker" boom of a utility truck. This band has fans in high places!
We at Y! Music were thrilled to have Zach and Pat in our studios recently to perform acoustic versions of three great tracks from Permalight. Check them out here:
Want audio downloads of those live performances? Here you go:
Great interviewees, the pair also explained what they're been up to since making their new album-and what they may want to do next time round.