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On their sophomore LP, the Oklahoma sludge-punks build an uglier golem.
Dear Rouge: Unpacking the Raw Power of Lonesome High
From pregnancy to stage lights, how the duo turned personal challenges into a glittering, gritty rock experience.
by Julia Dumbrell
Photos by Steve Bays
- Published on
Listening to Dear Rouge’s co-written epics is something of a canon experience when coming up in Canada, inviting us to explore the hard-rock itch of something new. Danielle and Drew McTaggart’s music is for those who might be afraid, sure, but go for it anyway. Their latest set of 11 tracks was born out of a need to give voice to a frustration, but one that was felt so strongly, it morphed into a rebellious joy.
To try on Danielle’s talent for writing a simile, Dear Rouge’s fourth album completes a piece of art with hot glue. The result is glittering, grimy and towering firmly in the desert. In melding together all of these powerful feelings, something that has become the rock duo’s signature, Lonesome High is for each of us.
Such tenderness and toughness is captured in part through Danielle’s writing process, one which she says “really clicked on this album.” When asking about the practice, she explains, “I start by, well, word vomiting on a page. I write everything that’s on my mind, without filtering myself. I just know what I need to say, and find a clear path that flows.”
Expressing a vulnerability from deep within, Lonesome High was conceived while the couple was expecting. Written throughout Danielle’s pregnancy, Dear Rouge records the fears and frustrations during what was a particularly long process for them. We hear this in the anticipation of Drew’s wishful guitar on “The Show,” or on “Garbage,” where Danielle assures listeners that their efforts aren’t a waste, soothing what’s inside of her and reaching us with honesty.
Holding nothing back, Dear Rouge proves our universal fears wrong. “I could still do everything from my regular life,” Danielle says, amazed to find there was no risk in continuing to perform on stage during a time of such change. “We were playing shows up until I was seven months pregnant. It’s incredible what women’s bodies can do.”
In the final stage of their writing process, Dear Rouge explains how they refine their word vomit into concisely radical expressions. She says the result is “truthful, but makes you think differently.” We hear how these final edits produce some of the best moments on the album: electric questions posed and answered on “Wallpaper,” the fearless and rhythmic flow of “Cutting Teeth,” and the final longing reflections on the title track which closes Lonesome High. In each instance, Danielle’s lyrics are understood by Drew’s riffs, in unruly harmony.
This chemistry and perspective-shifting veracity comes together on the stage. “That’s where we really hit our stride,” Drew affirms. “We’re starting to play even longer headliner shows. It’s nerve racking, but out on stage, it just feels right. When we play live, we’re able to fully express these raw and unhinged feelings.”
Light refracts off Lonesome High, as the grit and gloss of life are reflected onto Dear Rouge’s audience. The band looks forward to taking all the undefeated and rapturous emotions that came from birthing the album on tour. For those fighting back against the often overwhelming powers of their own existence, it’s an unmissable experience.
By Ben Boddez
The punk-rock quartet are still mostly in their teen years, but they’ve already conquered the world and continue to surprise listeners at every turn.
By Khagan Aslanov
As Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds prepare for their Wild God tour, the Australian musician and composer reflects on a year of musical highs, personal losses, and quiet triumphs.
