Rogue Wave at the Bottleneck

Rogue Wave

Saturday, 11-20-07

The Bottleneck

Better Than: America’s Most Smartest Model

Review and Photos by Richard Gintowt

Rogue Wave’s jump to Brushfire Records (home of Jack Johnson and G. Love & Special Sauce) made me reconsider a band I had always heard as contemporaries of the Shins and Band of Horses. Had I given them too much credit? Were they mere fodder for The O.C.? Did they enjoy playing music and surfing?

My skepticism was partially assuaged by the band’s new record Asleep at Heaven’s Gate, which has a couple absolute gems in “Like I Needed” and “Lake Michigan.” The entire record doesn’t live up to the promise of those two songs – and the band has yet to release a consistently great album – but I was intrigued enough to make the trip to Lawrence and catch ‘em at the Bottleneck.