"Working with more people, you just get a lot more points of view on the music," Rogue said. "I mean, it's instrumental, because nobody can play drums as well as [Rogue Wave drummer] Pat [Spurgeon] can, but more than that, it's a collaboration of style and taste between the four of us."
Rogue Wave's sound, a mix of indie-pop with some folk and country, is well-suited to Rogue's smart, unassuming lyrics. Rogue said he's constantly looking for inspiration for his words.
"I'll pick up on something funny one of my friends said, or maybe something clever I read on the bathroom wall," Rogue said. "I mean, I was driving in the car with my friend, and his mom remarked what a postage stamp world it is. I liked that, so I wrote a song about it. But it's really not a formula for me. I think writing lyrics is actually the hardest thing for me to do. And I feel very strongly about not doing the same thing twice."
Though he's now working with a band, Rogue is still the primary songwriter of the 'Wave. He described the creative process in its most ideal state.
"When I'm working on a song, writing at home, playing guitar in my living room or something -- the times I find the most inspiration, when I come up with the best parts -- are the times when I somehow let go," Rogue said. "The judgmental, analytical part of my consciousness just sort of rests."
Greg Gabbard, owner of City Lights Records, 316 E. College Ave., is especially excited to see a show of this caliber in State College.
He's particularly enamored with multitalented Chicagoan Eric Johnson and his Fruit Bats.
"The Fruit Bats are just my latest discovery," Gabbard said. "I missed [2003's Mouthfuls] completely, but after hearing the new one, it's my surprise hit of the summer."
Gabbard said he's also been enjoying Canadian export Chad VanGaalen's debut album, Infiniheart.
"Some of it is acoustic is kind of dark," Gabbard said. "Some of it has a little bit of everything, electronic beats and all that."
And, as a fan of Rogue Wave's debut, Gabbard said the odds are good for a heck of a show.
"I actually think all three are going to be really good," he said. "It's a no-lose, no-lose, no-lose situation."
Riding high on a string of glowing reviews and profile-heightening tour dates, Rogue Wave is looking like indie-pop royalty, even one album into their career.
But, as Rogue said, he's not all about the Benjamins.
"It's the human condition to always want more. When you're 15, you want to turn 16 so you can get your license. When you're 17, you want to be 18 so you can buy smokes or something," Rogue said. "But we're not doing this to make money and be rich. We're just playing so we can make enough money to not have to come back and try to scramble for work so we can have enough money for rent, you know?"
