I was all
ready to go with my top ten several weeks ago. However, I was thrown into
complete disarray when it was pointed out to me that although this album was
released in the States in June 2011, it only gots its UK release in March this
year. Its meant a re-think but as you can tell by its high placing, its one
that I couldn’t comprehend leaving out. We Are Augustines are a three piece
band from Brooklyn, New York. There sound is somewhere between early Kings Of
Leon and The National with singer and lyricist Billy McCarthey’s distinctive
vocal as their defining feature. McCarthey has a voice that instantly sticks
with you and his deeply personal lyrics give each song real weight. Songs like
Book Of James and Philadelphia (City Of Brotherly Love) reference the suicide
of his brother James directly but its understandably a recurring theme of the
album with many other songs touching on similar ideas of loss and heartache.
Barrel of Leaves and East Los Angeles slow the tempo down. The latter is one of
the stand out tracks of the first half of the album and lead straight into
Juarez, the slow building tale of a road trip to fulfil a vendetta that
culminates in a huge chorus. There are many highlights to be found here and
your favourite track will change the more you play the record. We Are
Augustines also deliver a fantastic live set and I’d urge you to check them out
if you get the chance.
Favourite
Track: Juarez
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