The Rogue Valley is a real place, in between several mountain ranges in southern Oregon. And it’s the real home of the songwriter and composer behind the band of the same name.
Chris Koza and his bandmates call Minnesota home today, but Rogue Valley’s music navigates terrains as varied as the Pacific Northwest, the heartland, and many of the places in between. The group’s last project was an ambitious effort – four records in a year, one for each season.
Their latest album, "Radiate/Dissolve," did not have the same fast turnaround time, but it isn't any less ambitious.
The time and miles put in between the records while on tour influenced the band's new sound and additional musical layers according to Linnea Mohn. However, the group admits that being able to have more time to make choices made the project even more challenging compared to previously tight deadlines.
"For my purposes, I need to like (the lyrics), I need to believe them when I sing them and most of these songs are about place and emotion, so there's not a lot of over-narration happening. It's more sparse and poetic," Chris Koza explains.
For Peter Sieve, the "punishingly repetitive" nature of being constantly on the road contrasts with the American idea of finding redemption while traveling. This juxtaposition is also expressed in their songs.
"There's hardship, there's tension, but there's always that kind of that optimistic hope that putting yourself through that you're going to have this revelation of some kind," he says. "Sometimes they're small, sometimes they're big, sometimes they don't come at all, but that's a vibe that comes through a lot of the song writing that I attach."
Sieve also notes that for the group, the latest album reflects not particular moments, "but a slow, steady drip of experiences that kind of form a collage that you pull different things from." Creating different impressions and motivation for each individual member as to why they continue to play music. For Sieve, the satisfaction Rogue Valley gets from being able to share and perform for others "is ultimately the most transcendent part...(making) that long drive feel really worth it."
