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Cibbuano
TyronneAugustana - Goo Goo Dolls Returns?
June 8th 2006 05:23
Augustana
Acoustic pop has always been a hard genre to follow - everything has seemingly been done. Yet Augustana have tried and, to an extent, they have succeeded. With vocals similar to Matchbox Twenty, a Goo Goo Dolls feel, and perhaps a certain Counting Crows aspect about them, Augustana's debut All the Stars and Boulevardes is their first attempt at breaking into the genre.
"All the Stars and Boulevards isn't trying to recreate or mimic. Augustana has never needed to-they've always remained boldly on the surface of themselves."
Augustana Official Website
Unfortunately, the debut album doesn't meet up to the standards set up by their first single. The first track, Mayfield is very Matchbox Twenty, something which is probably ok for established fans of previous band, but not unique. Bullets sees a slight improvement, but remains rather uninspired, with a melody that, while poppy, isn't very memorable and rather dull.
The band's true strength lies in its ballads, with Hotel Roosevelt, Boston and Stars and Boulevards all unique songs in their own rights using various techniques that draw the listener in for more. Unfortunately, the inability to keep this strength going throughout the album remains apparent, resulting in rather uninspired music and, in essence, what seems to be manufactured production rather than a meaningful album that could actually get somewhere.
The final song, Coffee and Cigarettes reveals possibly the best about the band in a similar way that Spaceships unleashes the forgotten side of the Vines. Augustana have the ability to create an album that is touching and emotional, with unconventional musical techniques that make the album refreshing. Instead, they've resorted to another option, rehashing and recreating Mathbox twenty and the Goo Goo Dolls, rather than creating a true name for themselves. Its only once this band mature and realise their full potential that we'll see something that is much fuller.
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Goo goo dolls! I haven't heard about them in a while! I didn't like them too much - what was their big single?
Comment by Anonymous