Live Review: ALBUM STREAM: Rouge Wave 'Nightingale Floors'
Stream Rouge Wave's brand new album 'Nightingale Floors, the band's first record in three long years.
It's been three long years since ROUGE WAVE released an album out into the world and even though they haven't been producing LP's, the band have been getting their fair share of plays on television.
ROUGE WAVE had their tracks played on the tv drama series' Heroes and Friday Night Lights, the cult classics Scrubs and The O.C and even a few commercials, but now they have made a very inconspicuous comeback with a lovely little LP Nightingale Floors.
The first track 'When You Walk Away' is full of folky goodness. The track moves at a relaxing pace with the lovely acoustic guitar leading the way of a heavy beat that melds together so well with the light guitar melody. Light vocals float throughout the track light as a feather and this is exactly the kind of track for your sunday afternoon cup of tea and novel.
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'Operated' follows 'When You Walk Away' again with another strong beat. ROUGE WAVE have a thing for the drums, they aren't heavy and they aren't rough, the just beat lightly along with every other instrument that help create 'Operated'. The track is a lot more cheery than 'When You Walk Away', and lifts the mood of the album up from a brief relaxation album to a bit more of a leisurely walk, 'Operated' makes you want to move.
And as quickly as you move to 'Operated', you're brought back down by 'Body Breaks'. The track is just a lovely guitar picking melody with ghostly vocals echoing around it. ROUGE WAVE have definitely shown that they can change their pace at the drop of a hat, and that's what's really good about Nightingale Floors, it's a versatile album that shows every side of ROUGE WAVE.
'Nearly Lost You' is the more rocky crop of the album. You can hear the edge that is unleashed in those first few notes and although those lovely vocals are floating about, you can still hear a bit more harshness in the track. The best part about the track though? The lovely keyboard that pops up, it stands out in 'Nearly Lost You' and it kind of makes the track stand out a bit more as you don't hear it on any of the others. What a difference one instrument makes!
ROUGE WAVE have a knack for creating a chilled out vibe though, whilst playing their tracks 'Everyone Wants To Be You', 'When Sunday Morning Comes', and ' Without Pain' you feel compelled just to relax put your feet up and zone out of reality for a while, it's like a new way to de-stress. Vocalist Zach Rouge has already labelled the album an "exercise in letting go" and that's pretty much what it is. You just want to let go and let everything wash over you whilst you just close your eyes and listen.
'Used To It' is another crunchy track that brings out a tinge of anguish huddled behind smooth guitars. 'S(a)tan' is an interesting track mainly because of it's lyrics, they do mention brains and of course the devil (that ones obvious) but one thing thats interesting is the contrast of the dark lyrics and the light melody, 'S(a)tan' is definitely a highlight of Nightingale Floors.
'The Closer I Get' is that one track that is essential in any cruisey album. Flowing synths opening to trickling guitars this is like the soundtrack to your dreams. The vocals are hauntingly smooth as they flow through the track and honestly this one would put any one in a relaxed state no matter how frustrated they are.
The smooth synth opening definitely plays a bigger part in the later half of Nightingale Floors. The start of the album your shown a lovely acoustic folky few tracks and then 'Siren's Song' breaks out and turns everything on it's head. That folky feel is still there, but the light opening is used a lot more often after 'The Closer I Get'. It shows the album kind of growing as you listen, which is a very cool experience.
'Figured It Out' and 'College' kind have uplifting and happy vibes flowing off them, especially 'College'. It's funny because the song actually sounds a little more like primary school with the lovely little xylophone dinging away at the beginning. 'College' is the song on the album that's most dance worthy ROUGE WAVE have yet again changed the mood of their album completely and I think I like this new chirpy feel.
The closing track of 'No Magnatone' is fairly smooth and it closes Nightingale Floors on a cheery note, not as cheery as 'College' of course, but cheery none the less.
ROUGE WAVE have come back with a nice little package for us all and with the album out now, you can all revel in ROUGE WAVE's new little treat for us all, they're back and they aren't making a big deal out of it, but they are letting us know they're there.
Words by Lauren Payne
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