Labels: Sub Pop
Review by: Mark Pearce
Sub Pop is being re-discovered by the same record buyers who were into Mudhoney, Nirvana et al. The legendary US label had been flagging for a few years but recent signings such as The Shins and the Elected are shifting the old “grunge’ tag towards a new mature sound.
And this Rouge Wave album will further prove that the Americans are still the best at creating cutting-edge, innovating guitar music whilst maintaining a twisted pop sensibility.
Rouge Wave’s sound on “Out of the Shadow’ can’t be called original, it’s reminiscent of a more accessible Pavement. Similar to early REM the songs are timeless relying on the hooks and sing-a-long choruses. Stand out track “Endless Shovel’ has an organic backing with a crude jangly guitar riff much like an album track from “Green’.
Some of the arrangements are complex and, dare I say it, sophisticated. Fans of the Vaselines would maybe not approve of the clinical production, but what true Sub Pop fan could fail to appreciate that this debut is essentially a song-based collection of fine tracks.
It doesn’t quite measure up next to Modest Mouse’s new album in terms of inventiveness although it has the same feel-good qualities. But the real story of “Out of the Shadow’ is that the ultimate grunge label seems to have finally grown up with the grunge kids.