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Augie MarchMoo, You Bloody Choir SonyBMG Augie March could not sound any more like Augie March if they tried. It's their strength and their weakness: they play the music they want to, and they play it for themselves. Stranger Strange is a fine example, five-plus minutes of meandering that doesn't go anywhere, and as the record's fourth track it's perfectly placed to scare away listeners. Then there's Just Passing Through half-buried at track seven: it verges on stripped back garage rock. An organ line and vocal harmonies arrive with the chorus, giving the pounding verses even more edge. It's not just more immediate; the point is that it's actually interesting. And this is where sounding like Augie March can be problematic. No matter how well-crafted, well-played and impressive the songs are, some of them forget to be interesting. It's a particularly frustrating situation, compounded by an album that is already two or three tracks longer than is necessary. At their best - and not coincidentally, their tightest - they're a very good band. Single One Crowded Hour boasts a great hook in the chorus and is the most uplifting Australian tune so far this year. The unlikely commercial airplay it's getting suggests there may yet be a chance for Augie March to permeate the national consciousness. Thin Captain Crackers brings out the banjo and a more playful sound, while loose piano and slide guitar add some crackle to The Baron Of Sentiment. Clockwork is superbly crafted, and like much of 'Moo, You Bloody Choir' will take months of listening to reveal itself completely. Throughout the album Glenn Richards' voice is quite rightly at the front of the mix, as his lyrics can be breathtaking. It also serves to reinforce the notion he's more of a poet with a band than a songwriter, and this poet's band sometimes gets a little caught up in what they're doing, forgetting about the bigger picture. But that's Augie March... and they're forever destined to be this way.  |
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