Asleep at Heaven's Gate

Rogue Wave

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 18, 2007)
• Original Release Date: September 18, 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Brushfire Records
• ASIN: B000UZ4G6Y
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,346 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For indie musicians, success--even the modest variety that Rogue Wave has experienced--can be disastrous. A band that once spent years squeezing quality tunes out of 4-tracks and cheap gear suddenly has extra resources, and the more polished product misses the charm of the ramshackle original. On Asleep at Heaven's Gate, band leader Zach Rogue and his mates are in jeopardy of going down this familiar path, having spread a layer of amped-up, rock-god oomph over the top of their once understated approach. Rogue has grand ambitions, as RW's soaring previous effort, Descended Like Vultures, made clear, and he can write fat, gorgeous hooks that partner well with an increasingly strident sound. And so, for much of Asleep, his melodicism throws enough of a charge into the music that you don't notice how overstuffed it often is. The quieter, more humble tactics of their brisk and beautiful debut, Out of the Shadow, make the occasional cameo appearance; "Christians in Black," for instance, floats a buttery Rogue vocal over a simple and lovely acoustic riff. But songs like "Harmonium" and "Lake Michigan" are the real templates here, shoegazer-level dreamy and cranked to 11. Accordingly, a certain bloat creeps in as the record goes on. A simple ditty like "Ghost" becomes an unnecessarily puffed-up epic, while half-formed songs like "Phonytown" turn into empty filler. But even though it runs out of gas, Asleep probably creates enough momentum to propel Rogue's band closer to their stadium-filling ambitions. That won't be of any consolation to those who miss the ragged edges of their earlier work, but it makes the record vital enough to satisfy the rest of us. --Matthew Cooke

Product Description

Emerson once wrote, "When it is darkest, men see the stars and he might as well have been penning a poem for Rogue Wave. Last year was a rollercoaster ride for the foursome drummer Pat Spurgeon had a kidney transplant, keyboardist Gram LeBron lost his father, singer Zach Rogue had a daughter and the band recruited a new bass player (Patrick Abernethy, formerly of Beulah). But instead of falling apart, they converted all their heartbreak, love, hurt, pain, elation and insight into a most affecting and beguiling record, Asleep At Heaven’s Gate. Produced by Roger Moutenot (Yo La Tengo, Sleater Kinney, Elvis Costello) with Zach Rogue and recorded in Forestville, California, Asleep At Heaven’s Gate was derailed two weeks into the sessions after technical problems mis-pitched a majority of the early tracks. Refusing to be defeated, the foursome decamped to their studio in Oakland, CA where they spent days salvaging what they could, rerecorded some tunes and laid down overdubs. The results are worth it, because Asleep At Heaven’s Gate finds the band at their most accomplished.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Rogue Wave's first flawed album still has it's moments., September 17, 2007

By	Cale E. Reneau "audiooverflow.com" (Conroe, Texas United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Rogue Wave released their second album (and first as a true band), "Descended Like Vultures" in late 2005 to little fanfare or notoriety. It was a bit disheartening to me, because I was a huge fan of it as well as their debut. To see such a great album go by without anyone really making a fuss about it was a shame. In an interview with the band that was published around the same time, Zach Rogue acknowledged that some fans thought they had sold out because the album was harder, louder. But Zach defended the band by saying that the music was them, and just because it sounded different did not make them guilty of selling out. He even tossed out the idea of the band making an electronic or hip hop album, because it would be "exciting" and "challenging." Perhaps that's why it's so disappointing to concede that "Asleep at Heaven's Gate" is middle of the road indie rock from start to finish. The album is not bad by any means, it just hasn't met my expectations.

To be honest, I never expected to hear a Rogue Wave hip hop album. What I did expect was for the band to take some risks as they had done with "Descended Like Vultures." That album clearly showed a growth in the band from Zach's "Out of the Shadow" days. Songs like "10:1" and "Love's Lost Guarantee" were so perfectly constructed and executed, that it was hard not to be impressed. Though still well-written and decently composed, "Asleep at Heaven's Gate" shows a band that's either having trouble moving forward, or just playing it safe.

That's not to say that the album isn't worth listening to, however. Zach Rogue is still an excellent song writer and the band still works well together. "Lake Michigan," for example, is classic Rogue Wave; plastered with layers of lush guitar sounds. Zach's smooth vocals move in and out of coherency as they always have, and it all sounds great! Likewise, "Lullaby" may start out sounding like a 1950s love song, but it soon evolves into perfect piece of indie rock with infectious electric guitars complementing the steady strumming of an acoustic. As much as I criticize the band for not taking as many risks this time out, I must admit that it's nice to hear the band make a few throwbacks to their old sound. "Christians in Black" is another great song, sounding like it could've been a hidden track on "Out of the Shadow." It's a must-listen for any long time fan.

The album's second half has a few notable tracks, and shows the band trying a few new things here and there. "Missed" walks a fine line between "beautiful" and "boring," ultimately achieving neither. It's minimalistic composition is squandered by all the reverb the band insisted on throwing in, and I would've much preferred the song without it. "Fantasies" starts off sounding way too much like The Shins' "New Slang" for me to take it too seriously. The melody lacks any staying power and the hook of "Every day's a fantasy. Are you with me? Are you with me?" is truly forgettable. To be fair, it's one of the few places on the album where the band sounds like they are trying to branch out, it just doesn't work out the way it should have. "Phonytown" ends up sounding much better, and the band finally shows a little bit of progression from their last album.

Rogue Wave is one of my favorite bands, and "Asleep at Heaven's Gate" was one of my most anticipated albums of 2007. Maybe that's why I'm so disappointed by what I've heard. The album seems incredibly front-heavy through track 6, and never really regains it's appeal until 11 or 12. For a band who has put out two relentlessly impressive albums, the fact that there are tracks here that I know I'll end up skipping in a few weeks is a bit saddening. If you're a long-time Rogue Wave fan, pick it up and decide for yourself. There are definitely enough good songs on this album to justify a purchase. If you're new to the band though, I highly recommend going back and checking out "Descended Like Vultures" or "Out of the Shadow" first. Rogue Wave was bound to slip up sooner or later. The fact that their "slip up" is still better than most run-of-the-mill indie rock bands out there today should tell you a lot about how great this band really is!

Key Tracks:
1. "Like I Needed"
2. "Chicago x 12"
3. "Lake Michigan"
4. "Lullaby"
5. "Christians in Black"

6 out of 10 Stars

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Give them a break, it's a good album!, November 16, 2007

By	Tristan Harward (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I hate how people write off a band because they're different from their "indie roots" and "not as rough-around-the-edges as they used to be" -- yes, their old albums were great, and "Descended like Vultures" was a beautiful record, but this one stands on its own. Give it a chance and keep your thoughtless nostalgic expectations in check.

Because it actually is a great album, if you listen to it! It's got a different feel from their previous work, but for God's sake that's a good thing! It also *still* keeps Rogue Wave's signature sound with masterful turns of chords and play of major and minor key. *That* is what I love about this band - it's real skillful music when you listen closely.

There are some great tracks, Lake Michigan is probably my favorite (and no, not because of the Zune commercials), Chicago x 12 is great, Missed and Christians in Black throw back to their old material, Cheaper than Therapy is classic and a good finish with the sentiment that "Music is cheaper than therapy."

I just don't understand how one can look at the increased "production" and "complexity" of this album and frown upon it -- of all the bands who get that privilege, Rogue Wave handles it better than any I've heard. It comes together to form a cohesive album without a single bad track and with many that leave me wanting to hit the Repeat button.

It's not Descended Like Vultures, but if you expected that then it's you who's made the mistake, not Rogue Wave. Give them a break and listen to this album.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another Excellent Rogue Wave Disc, October 1, 2007

By	S. Vahey "A Music Fan" (Northeast USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

So glad to have another excellent Rogue Wave CD in the collection. Following in the mold of Descended Like Vultures, this is once again an example of songwriting at its best. Favorite tracks are Harmonium, Lake Michigan, Own Your Own Home and Phoneytown. Highly recommended.