Rating: NNNN
On 2004’s Out Of The Shadow debut, Zach Rogue demonstrated a talent for intricate, sunny indie pop tunes and a tastefully literary bent that landed him comparisons to, press blurbage from and a tour opening for New Pornographer architect Carl “A.C.” Newman. Rogue is arguably a better songwriter than his Porno pal, free of the hammy baroque tendencies and penchant for cleverer-than-thou lyrics that mar many Newman opuses. More ambitious than Rogue Wave’s debut, Descended On Vultures on the prettily wispy vocal melodies and delicate restraint of earlier songs with cascading keyboard crescendos and harmony-saturated choruses that explode out of the lilting tunes with barely suppressed exhilaration. Publish My Love opens with crashing, fuzzy Britrock guitars and swerves sharply inward before soaring toward the stunning hook. Filtered vocals add tension to the bleating synths and flailing drums on the nicely energetic 10:1. Combined with Rogue’s neat metaphors and knack for channelling heartsick emotion without being maudlin you’ve got yourself a nearly perfect pop album.
