Rouge Wave’s records seem to always be overshadowed by a crisis or tragic event including job losses, the death of their bassist, and a desperate search for a replacement kidney. Nightingale Floors is no exception.
During its creation Zach Schwartz lost his father, but the record born from reflecting on his passing is not only their richest sounding and most delicately labored over, it is also their first tinged with a contagious and beautiful optimism.
2010’s Permalight, was a major misstep for Rogue Wave, a nauseating excursion into electronics that sounded like what your dad might make if he tried to recreate Oracular Spectacular.
In hindsight Permalight has proven to be an important lesson for the band, when “College” bursts to life it’s clear that they’ve acknowledged its pitfalls and returned to their jangly indie rock origins with a new found drive to push their strengths.
The album falters fleetingly. During the chorus of “Without Pain” they loose the emotional ambiguity that runs through Nightingale Floors and dive into something uncomfortably earnest and at a massive eight minutes “Everyone Wants To Be You” overstays its welcome.
Thankfully these minor missteps are eclipsed by explosive statements like the massive “Siren’s Song” which gives “Lake Michigan” a run for the best track the band has ever written.
Nightingale Floors is a mature step back for Rouge Wave. For the band long joked about as The Shins’ timid little brother, it is a welcome moment of self realisation and a celebration of their talents rather than their usual self pity.
