Bar Matchless
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009
By: Becky Firesheets

Brooklyn three-piece Beloved Rogue finds beauty in the simple things.  Last Wednesday at Matchless as part of Jezebel's Resonance, the band showcased their ability to compose minimal yet engaging songs.  Contrasting raw vocal harmonies with experimental guitar solos that sometimes wandered through shoegaze and other times wailed in a psychedelic way, Beloved Rogue added an edge to their chilled-out pop tunes.

Splitting the vocals between guitarist Sean Finnegan’s higher-range and guitarist Alex Koch’s tenor voice served the band well.  Oftentimes singing together but also switching lead, the dual voices offered a change of pace from other indie trios.  Michael Petrucelly provided consistency with his drum lines, sometimes playing a sort of call-and-response with the vocals, but Finnegan’s solos are what carried the set.  His tasteful use of echoes, delays and phase effects brought together various styles and influences, adding a dreamy quality to his guitar riffs.

However, by the end of the set, the tempo swayed and a few harmonies were missed.  It would have been nice to see them go out with a bang, but as they practice more and further develop their style, Beloved Rogue will stake their claim in the Brooklyn scene.

Watch their new video below and check out their website for a free download of their new EP, Polaurora.  Catch them live again next year on February 22nd at Cake Shop.