In 2001 a song hit radio airwaves that immediately seemed to define that summer. "California" introduced the world to Wave whose gold debut album, Nothing As It Seems, eventually spawned three Top 40 hits and two Top 5 videos. With the release of their sophomore album, State Of Mind, Wave display a maturity and growth that belies their years.
Recorded in Los Angeles with Ben Dunk and Rick Neigher handling the producer chores, vocalist Paul Gigliotti and guitarist Dave Thomson deliver 12 sparkling pop jewels led by the first single, "That's How It Feels." The song is a straight-to-the-heart confessional message of love topped by an instantly memorable chorus.
"This album definitely captures the spirit of Wave live because the band was in the studio recording together," Paul says recalling the recording session. "The last record used a lot of loops and we wanted a more organic sound with State Of Mind which we achieved with touches like live drums and a real piano."
Joining Paul and Dave on the new album is an illustrious array of musicians including guitarist Tim Pierce (Eric Clapton, Tracy Chapman, Joe Cocker, Ricky Martin, Ronan Keating, Tom Petty), bassist John Pierce (Emmylou Harris, Mick Jagger, New Radicals, Shawn Mullins) and drummer Vinny Colaiuta (Leonard Cohen, Celine Dion, Jewel, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan, Sting, Frank Zappa).
During Wave's never-ending rounds of interviews in support of their first album, critics found it difficult not to compare the duo to the likes of the Beach Boys and Hall & Oates. The comparisons were inevitable and appropriate given that Wave work in pop music's time honored tradition of soulful singer/songwriters. The duo's music is always positive, a nice change from most of the pessimism and angst dominating so much of today's music scene. Those comparisons will surely not ebb given the joyful tone of songs like the album's title track or the unforgettable "Don't Say Sarah."
"We really wanted to be ourselves with this record," says Dave. "The first album was recorded before we had ever played any live shows. This record comes after a year of playing and gaining new experiences together that have contributed to our growth as musicians and songwriters."
Great songs have always been the first priority for Wave and that is exactly what sets them apart from the pack. Given the depth of their music you would think that Wave have been working together for years but in truth their chemistry came together quickly and has already spawned a number of indelible hits.
The story has been often told how, although Dave and Paul went to the same high school in Niagara Falls, it wasn't until after they had graduated that they joined the same band and began working together. A chance meeting with producer/songwriter Ben Dunk at a Stereophonics show in Toronto led to a four-song demo that immediately caught the ear of Warner Music Canada execs. Within minutes of completing a live acoustic showcase in the label's offices, Wave was offered a record deal.
Paul shakes his head in wondering describing the flurry of events, "Two years ago I was a busboy cleaning tables. The day after we got the record deal, I went in and quit. Now I'm getting to do something I love to do, get on stage and play music."
In March of 2001, Warner Music Canada released "California" to radio and the song instantly became a top requested track. Video channels spun the single's accompanying clip in heavy rotation. Wave toured from coast to coast and Paul and Dave started to get recognized everywhere they went.
"Your life does change," Dave admits. "People see you and recognize you and you don't know them. It really means something to us when they say that our music has touched them in some way."
It seems that with the music on State Of Mind, Wave are destined to continue touching people with their music. In the first week of it's release to radio, "That's How It Feels" was one of the most added records at pop radio. Now that the writing and recording are done, Wave can do the one other thing they love, touring and playing live for their fans.
