Augie March: Stranger That Fiction.

Augie March play The Tivoli on Thursday.

Melbourne quintet Augie March are in sunny Vegas this week for the launch of their second album Strange Bird, and reliving their last live experience (supporting Mercury Rev) by once again landing at the Tivoli. The follow up to the critically lauded Sunset Studies, Strange Bird finds the band exploring further musical territory, and on it’s original release it came packaged like a softbound book, with a lyric sheet destined to print like your favourite trashy reading. Very tasty indeed.

“In the digipack the lyrics are a pull out book,” confirms guitarist Adam Donovan. “The digipack lift out is kind of newspapery kind of paper, so it yellows with age.”

Inside the disc’s liner notes you’ll also find an index of first lines to each track on the album.

“We kind of ripped that off. I thought it was a good idea. I went to this artwork meeting, and there it was. I liked it.”

While the album was recorded a couple of months back, it’s been sitting in had been sitting in a warehouse for almost a month at the time of this interview, awaiting it’s final release. While the band have the undeniable satisfaction of having put together one of the year’s musical highlights, they still had the wait for release ahead.

“It’s nice seeing the things that go with it,” Adam muses on the maelstrom surrounding the upcoming release. “In Melbourne at the moment there’s big posters up for it on the side of buildings and things like that. It’s really exciting waiting for it. It’s nice to understand how it all works. When I was younger and I used to come down to Melbourne I’d go and look around at the posters to see what was going on in the big city.”

How was your time in the studio with this record?

“I love being in the studio. If we has an unlimited budget I’d probably be in the studio year round. I love polishing things up and putting little things in. It’s my favourite part. It’s like dressing things up a little bit.”

What’s your pick for the standout tracks on the record? What came together for you just how you wanted it in the studio?

“I like Little Wonders, I reckon that’s one of the better things we’ve done.”

The band’s bio says you treat your guitar like a Formula One driver treats his vehicle. Any driver in particular?

“I was thinking something along the lines of Eddie Irvine,” he chuckles. “I don’t actually understand that analogy at all. I think that bio was written by, well that particular bit I think Glenn (vocals) wrote it and Matt, out manager filled out the rest of it.”

Last time you were in Brisbane was for a supporting gig, this time you’re headlining. Do you approach what you’re doing differently for your own shows?

“I think when you tour with someone you like having someone that’s a bit different sounding. We supported Yo La Tengo, and just hearing them play every night was great. Hearing a band play ten times in a row is pretty tiring, but with them every night was a winner.”

What are you listening to yourself at the moment?

“I’ve actually got the Elvis numbers ones thing on at the moment. I’m into more of the stuff from the end of his career, and there’s quite a bit of Elvis paraphernalia around here. I’m getting a bit into that. I’ve got the Grant Lee Phillips CD here as well, so those couple of things really.”

The disc’s cover features a mobile of a explorer flying a balloon.

“It’s got a switch on it, and you turn it and the fan goes around. It doesn’t fly through the air, of course, it’s a little aerodynamically challenged. We just used it for a few photos. It’s a friend of Glenn’s, and he actually broke it. I don’t think he knows about it yet. The guy’s hand comes off, and we lost it. I think he might have told him, but I don’t know.