Album Review: Augie March - 'Havens Dumb'

In 2009 Augie March went on "indefinite hiatus," the two words that are far worse for fans than "break up" as they instil a sense of hope that something may once again happen that is combined with a timeline that could stretch on forever. It's pretty annoying. Hindsight however is a wonderful thing, and now with the announcement of their new record 'Havens Dumb,' we could go back in time and comfort those upset fans with news that the wait would only last five years.

Time machines however, do not exist, so those past fans must endure the pain and suffering until they reach this current point in the timeline assuming of course that time is linear and that plots involving time travel can never really make sense, much like this introduction.

The album kicks off with AWOL, a song that sounds like it could be an old Irish folk tale with a modern sheen to it, its laid-back pace supports some nice harmony work, shimmery guitars and strong organs. It's a full sound, deeply alternative rock and completely Augie March, its follower, After The Crack Up, is another slow mover driven by sweet little vocal melodies and piano lines.

The start of the record is beautiful, albeit a touch boring, what is the reason you got back together Augie? Tell us! Surely it wasn't to deliver slow paced alt rock songs the lack a memorable hook or unique structure?

Father Jack and Mr. T is a stripped back little acoustic number that is truly enchanting, in a way that it could one day become a bit of a classic before The Faking Boy weirds things out. Villa Adriana picks up the pace with rumbling drums focusing more on its instrumentation than its vocal lines which is a nice change for the spotlight before the record closes with The Crime, a gentle, melody heavy song that drifts with an interesting feedback/harmonica sound laced throughout it.

Augie March have really picked up where they left off with 'Havens Dumb,' on a record that won't surprise anyone greatly. It features some fine musicianship but probably isn't as memorable as people might hope for it to be.

1. AWOL

2. After The Crack Up

3. Bastard Time

4. A Dog Starved

5. Hobart Orbit

6. Father Jack and Mr. T

7. St Helena

8. The Faking Boy

9. Definitive History

10. Villa Adriana

11. Millenarian's Mirror

12. Sailing To The Moon

13. Never Been Sad

14. The Crime