Augustana is an American rock band from San Diego, California, comprising Fan Yayus on vocals, guitar and piano, Jared Palomar on bass, Justin South on drums, Christ Sachtleben on lead guitar and mandolin, and JohnVincent on keyboards.Can't Love, Can't Hurt, their second album, is an earthier album thanits predecessor, All The Stars And Boulevards, with guitars driving mostof the songs while Layus drops his piano in for pretty fills.
Can't Love, Can't Hurt strays little from the band's signature combination of soft, driving rhythms and simple meaningful lyrics,anchored by Layus' sultry piano riffs and intimate vocals, while also exploring a darker, more mature sound that begs not to be taken lightly.
In this manner, Can't Love, Can't Hurt is more alternative-country than Brit rock, and that's more than refreshing in today's musical landscape.
The hidden power behind the album is Layus' vocals, which quality heuses as a tool more than a crutch. This guy could rap and still soundsensitive.
Can't Love, Can't Hurt's 10 piano-based nuggets of melodic rock iswarmer and more soothing than All Stars. The songs are slower and highly contemplative.
The lead single, Sweet And Low, will easily have the boys and girls singing along at the next Augustana show, while the gentle, piano-driven Fire fulfills the melancholy quota nicely.
Most of the songs are about love lost, heartbreak, sorrows, and ways todeal with it spiritually as well as mentally.
In terms of the music, tone and mood, Augustana had perfected thedynamics of its songs to get the right emotional response desired.
With its masterful songwriting, Can't Love, Can't Hurt makes the last album sound like a handful of demo songs patched together. – NST 27/07/2008
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