Release the Sunbird: Come Back to Us

Sometimes you just need to pack everything up and get away from it all. Sometimes you need to do this without the faintest glimmer of a plan for how your time away will be best spent. Zach Rogue of indie darlings Rogue Wave did that recently. Rogue Wave have been a staple of KCRW playlists for many years and their songs have been featured in film and TV projects ranging from Napoleon Dynamite to Heroes. Their last studio album, Permalight gathered a lot of critical acclaim, and a lot of touring for the band. No wonder Zach Rogue felt the yearning to try something different. Fortunately for all of us; instead of jetting off to the Caribbean and coming back with a weird tan and some corn rows, Rogue jetted of to Bloomington, Indiana and came back with a new recording project. Teaming up with several musician friends based in Bloomington – drummer Pete Shreiner, bassist/vocalist Kenny Childers and vocalist Kate Long – calling the project Release the Sunbird, and treating the whole experience with a carefree sense of ease that shines through in every note helps to make Release the Sunbird's debut record Come Back to Us a perfect mid-summer treat.

Come Back to Us is an ideal record for lazy mornings, midnight drives (especially the kind with no particular destination), and maybe even a back yard barbeque. That is to say, its easy and intimate harmonies, sweet melodies, warm guitar tones, and often gently driving pace make this the perfect record for all of the moments when we’re reminded just how good life can be. Not bad for an album that was essentially recorded on a whim.

-- Marion Hodges, KCRW DJ

Come Back to Us will be available to stream on demand from July 18 through August 17, 2011. The album will be released on July 26th.

More info: http://www.facebook.com/releasethesunbird

Tracklist

1. It’s All Around You

2. Come Back To Us

3. Always Like The Son

4. No Light

5. Why Can’t You Look At Yourself

6. Best Thing For Me

7. A New You

8. Back Strikes Back

9. Paper Allies

10. Running Away From Me

11. Everytime You Go

12. We’ll Begin Tomorrow

13. Outlook’s Anonymous