Thursday, 20 December 2012

TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2012: WE ARE AUGUSTINES - RISE YE SUNKEN SHIPS


 
#03: WE ARE AUGUSTINES - RISE YE SUNKEN SHIPS

 

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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