Based on their name, you’d expect Rogue Wave to have a huge, uncontrollable sound, like a metal or noisecore band. Instead, the former Sub Pop-signees have always seemed mellow, even as lead singer’s Zach Schwartz’s vocals have become more acrobatic and inched toward a falsetto. The beauty of Descended Like Vultures and Asleep at Heaven’s Gate is how effortless they both sound: there’s simplicity amidst all the wurlitzer- and keyboard-tinged pop. And this is what make’s the band’s latest release, Permalight, is a complete surprise. Suddenly–if the album’s single, “Good Morning (The Future)” is representative—Rogue Wave is a synth-backed, beat-heavy band. (It also sounds like Schwartz put his voice through autotune.) It’s a startling musical shift, but it’s hard to know whether it’s a freak occurrence or a permanent transition. With Man/Miracle, JMB. PAIGE RICHMOND

Sat., April 10, 8 p.m., 2010