“Wake Me When It’s Over”
from the album The Strangest Things
2003
[iTunes]
Post-punk popsters Longwave got their start in 1999 when Steve Schlitz (vocals/guitar), Shannon Ferguson (guitar), Dave Marchese (bass), and Mike James (drums) congregated in a small New York studio to record some demos. The lineup had been fledgling for a number of years and Schlitz had been sitting on a stack of sweeping melodies, but once Ferguson left the sunny skies of California behind Longwave developed a space rock-tinged sound.
Gigs in lower Manhattan melded the group’s U2-inspired sound and also caught the eye of Luna Lounge owner Rob Sacher. Sacher founded Luna Sea Records soon after spotting Longwave and offered the band a deal. Endsongs marked Longwave’s debut in fall 2000. It was an impressive first record full of lush string arrangements surfing around heavy guitars, certainly a different fit to what was currently happening in New York City at the time — the Strokes were hot and Detroit’s own White Stripes were on a rock rampage.
In 2002, Longwave formulated a darker disposition for the Day Sleeper EP. Within a week of its release, the Strokes’ manager asked Longwave to play three dates with his stylish, rambunctious five-piece. The Strokes were so impressed, Longwave landed the opening spot for the rest of the tour. Such an opportunity allowed great publicity for the band, not to mention a contract with RCA.
Producer Dave Fridmann (the Flaming Lips, among others) collected the band in his Tarbox Road Studio in up-state New York to work on Longwave’s major-label debut before the year’s end. What followed was the dreamy williwaw of The Strangest Things released in March 2003. Shortly after the June 2004 release of the Life of the Party EP, founding members Marchese and James left the band.
Drummer Nic Brown and bassist Christian Bongers stepped in as temporary replacements so the band could resume recording their sophomore album There’s a Fire (due later this year) with producer John Leckie.
~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
 Longwave |