The guys that threw "Boston" into many an ear a few years ago have changed, man. Their Can't Love, Can't Hurt album which was released April 29 hit their mark, but unfortunately for a fan of their All the Stars and Boulevards work, I found myself disappointed more than once.
What went wrong? The group incorporated a country sound to their alt-rock niche that confuses and annoys a rock-based Northerner such as myself. One could expect something like this from a Tennessee or Texas group, but San Diego? That is the home of punk outside of Asbury Park.
Augustana hasn't all of the sudden become bad musicians. They mixed it up just like we announced a month ago. Above average songs to indie rock fans do exist on this album, but so do the country-twanged tracks. To get a feel of this country sound, there are only a handful of songs that jump to mind- one being Nightmare of You's "Marry Me".
Everyone is a bit different in taste. I couldn't care for country and I knew this album had that taste to it. Check out these couple of songs from the album I particularly enjoyed and then perhaps test yourself with the rest.
MP3: Augustana - Hey Now (buy)
MP3: Augustana - Sweet and Low (acoustic) (buy)
Hardly getting to go through all of last week's strong releases, we are back again with another list of hopeful albums from many solid artists. Headlining the list for the week includes Augustana, Santogold, Portishead, Run Kid Run, South and The New Frontiers.
As many recall, it was two and a half years ago when Augustana released All the Stars and Boulevards, which featured "Boston". Their new Can't Love, Can't Hurt album will be aiming to slightly change that sound.
The highly hyped Santogold, or Santi White for the lay person, has released her self-titled album today. Previously she worked with artists Lily Allen, Res and Ashley Simpson by means of writing and producing tracks.
Portishead is releasing their first album since their self-titled album in 1997 with Third while Run Kid Run (This Is Who We Are) is releasing their sophomore album, Love at the Core, and The New Frontiers is releasing their debut album, Mending.
Lastly, from the UK, South makes their appearance with You Are Here. This is their first freshest material since 2004 and their new album really hits the spot.
MP3: The New Frontiers - Mirrors (buy)
MP3: Santogold - XXX Change Remix (free download here)
MP3: South - Better Things (buy)
MP3: Langhorn Slim - Rebel Side of Heaven (buy)
MP3: Heloise and the Savoir Faire - Downtown (buy)
65daysofstatic - The Distant and Mechanized Glow of Eastern European Dance Parties EP (Official) (MySpace)
Augustana - Can't Love, Can't Hurt (Official) (MySpace)
Awesome Color - Electric Aborigines (Official) (MySpace)
Backseat Goodbye - Dressed Up Like Dreams (Official) (MySpace)
Boris - Smile (Official)
Carly Simon - This Kind of Love (Official) (MySpace)
Cloudland Canyon - Lie in Light (Official) (MySpace)
Constantines - Kensington Heights (Official) (MySpace)
David Karsten Daniels - Fear of Flying (Official) (MySpace)
Def Leppard - Songs from the Sparkle Lounge (Official)
Dizzee Rascal - Maths+English (Official) (MySpace)
Estelle - Shine (Official) (MySpace)
Foxboro Hot Tubs - Stop Drop and Roll (Official) (MySpace)
Frightened Rabbit - The Midnight Organ Fight (Official) (MySpace)
Ghost of a Stranger - Hers and Yours (MySpace)
Heloise and the Savior Fare - Trash, Rats and Microphones (Official) (MySpace)
Jamie Lidell - Jim (Official) (MySpace)
Langhorne Slim - Langhorne Slim (Official) (MySpace)
Madonna - Hard Candy (Official)
Make Believe - Going to the Bone Church (Official) (MySpace)
Mindless Self Indulgence - If (Official) (MySpace)
Mudcrutch - Mudcrutch (Official)
Nerf Herder - IV (Official) (MySpace)
New Found Glory - Tip of the Iceberg EP (MySpace)
New Frontiers - Mending (Official) (MySpace)
Portishead - Third (Official) (MySpace)
Quarter After - Too Much To Think About 7" (Official) (MySpace)
Robyn - Robyn (Official) (MySpace)
Run Kid Run - Love at the Core (Official) (MySpace)
Santogold - Santogold (MySpace)
Sea Of Treachery - At Daggers Drawn (MySpace)
Steve Winwood - Nine Lives (Official) (MySpace)
The Cab - Whisper War (Official) (MySpace)
The Roots - Rising Down (Official) (MySpace)
Forever The Sickest Kids - Underdog Alma Mater (MySpace)
Tickley Feather - Tickley Feather (MySpace)
We Shot The Moon - Fear and Love (Official) (MySpace)
With the release of their album at the end of the month, the new video of their Can't Love, Can't Hurt EP, the Red Sox playing every night in Boston and this past weekend's golf at Augusta, it has been kinda tough to get Augustana out of my mind.
After two and a half years since the release of All the Stars and Boulevards, it is time to talk Augustana again. With a new tour and a new sound (alt-country?), the group is excitedly awaiting a slew of old fans and perhaps another wallop of new ones as their album hits stores April 29.
Check out the tour dates in your area below this video of "Sweet and Low".
5/7 SEATTLE WA USA SHOWBOX
5/9 SALT LAKE UT USA AVALON THEATER
5/10 ENGLEWOOD CO USA GOTHIC THEATRE
5/12 MINNEAPOLIS MN USA FINE LINE MUSIC CAFE
5/13 CHICAGO IL USA METRO
5/14 DETROIT MI USA ST. ANDREWS HALL
5/16 TORONTO ON Canada Mod Club Theatre
5/17 MONTREAL QC Canada Saints Showbar
5/19 BOSTON MA USA PARADISE ROCK CLUB
5/20 HOBOKEN NJ USA MAXWELLS
5/21 NEW YORK NY USA BOWERY BALLROOM
5/22 WASHINGTON DC USA 9:30 CLUB
5/23 Philadelphia PA USA Fillmore at the TLA
5/24 NORFOLK VA USA THE NORVA
5/24 RICHMOND VA USA THE NATIONAL
5/25 RICHMOND VA USA THE NATIONAL
5/27 NASHVILLE TN USA CITY HALL
5/28 ATLANTA GA USA VARIETY PLAYHOUSE
5/29 ORLANDO FL USA THE SOCIAL
5/30 FT. LAUDERDALE FL USA CULTURE ROOM
6/02 NEW ORLEANS LA USA HOUSE OF BLUES
6/03 HOUSTON TX USA MERIDIAN
6/04 AUSTIN TX USA ANTONES
6/05 DALLAS-FT. WORTH TX USA HOUSE OF BLUES
6/07 Phoenix AZ USA Brickhouse Theater
6/09 HOLLYWOOD CA USA TROUBADOUR
6/10 HOLLYWOOD CA USA TROUBADOUR
6/11 HOLLYWOOD CA USA TROUBADOUR
6/12 SAN DIEGO CA USA HOUSE OF BLUES
6/13 SAN FRANCISCO CA USA THE FILLMORE
6/15 ANAHEIM CA USA HOUSE OF BLUES
