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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.
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