Rogue Wave - Lake Michigan

are in good company when writing about Michigan, Sufjan Stevens famously releasing an entire album devoted to the state as part of his faltering project to release an album for all fifty states of America. Indeed, the Californians sound like the dreamier younger brothers of Sufjan, ones untainted by the continuing pitfalls of life.

Sharing the wide-eyed pop sensibilities of The Shins mixed with the delicacy of Loney, Dear, all with a dusting of Wurlitzer and hand claps, Rogue Wave manage to capture the eternal happiness and sunshine that The OC would have us believe is the norm in Cali. Apparently this track is about environmental destruction – not that you’d realise, Zach Rogue’s vocals lost to the ethereal mist that his band creates around him, enveloping the song in harmonies until it bursts into an explosion of light. No Mischa Barton, unfortunately, but this’ll do just as nicely.