Augie March

Augie March are an Australian pop and indie rock band formed in 1996 in Shepparton, Victoria. The group currently consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Glenn Richards, bass guitarist Edmondo Ammendola, drummer David Williams, and keyboardist Kiernan Box. Box had replaced Robert Dawson, the band's piano player since March 2000, who died in January 2001. Lead guitarist Adam Donovan was a member from the band's inception until 2025. Augie March's first full-length album, Sunset Studies, was released in 2000. It was critically acclaimed and received four ARIA Music Award nominations in 2001, which won Engineer of the Year for Chris Dickie, Chris Thompson, Paul McKercher and Richard Pleasance. Critics, both in Australia and the United States, also lauded its 2002 successor, Strange Bird. The group's third album, Moo, You Bloody Choir (2006), reached number 10 on the ARIA Albums Chart. It provided the lead single, "One Crowded Hour", which attained critical acclaim and provided their highest position on the related singles chart at number 29. The album and single were nominated for six ARIA Music Awards in 2006, while Moo, You Bloody Choir won the Australian Music Prize for that year. Having achieved mainstream success, the band toured Australia and the US through 2006 and 2007. In 2008 they released their fourth album, Watch Me Disappear, which reached number 4. Although commercially successful it received less favourable critical reception. Augie March disbanded in late 2009 and reformed in mid-2014. They have released three studio albums since their resumption. The band's distinctive musical style is directed by main songwriter, Richards. His lyrics draw critical acclaim for their poetic style. The band's music is variously described as intricate, lush, and dense, acting as a backdrop for Richards' complex vocals. Augie March were formed in the Victorian rural city of Shepparton in 1996 with the original line-up of Edmondo Ammendola on bass guitar, Adam Donovan on lead guitar, Glenn Richards on vocals and guitar, and David Williams on drums. According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "[they] won critical praise for [their] mix of literate, sensitive pop and chamber folk." Donovan, Richards and Williams grew up and attended school in the Shepparton area. Richards began writing songs while studying English literature at University of Melbourne in 1996. He invited Donovan and Williams, who had been studying music at the Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE (NMIT), to form the band. The pair asked fellow NMIT student, Ammendola to join. The band's name references the titular protagonist of the 1953 novel The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow. According to AllMusic's Gregory McIntosh, who cites the novel's "poetic, complex prose" as complementary to Richards' lyrics. Augie March relocated to Melbourne before their first performance in Brunswick at a friend's visual art exhibition. In 1997 they were signed to Ra Records (rooArt subsidiary distributed by BMG). Augie March's first extended play (EP), Thanks for the Memes, was produced by Victor Van Vugt (Beth Orton, Nick Cave). The five-track EP was released in January 1998. Despite positive reviews it received little airplay. It was re-released in mid-2003 with an additional track, "300 Nights". Greg Lawrence of Worldwide Home of Australasian Music and More Online (WHAMMO) observed that the six-track version displayed, "dynamic arrangements, an endless lyrical depth and the ability to rock with intensity." In 2007 Williams described his surprise that they had found a producer, due to their obscure music, which at the time they considered, "hip and cool, and intellectual." Augie March followed with their second EP, Waltz, in August 1999, which was produced by Richard Pleasance (Deborah Conway, Nick Barker#1993-1995: Barker). The EP included "Asleep in Perfection", which became the most requested song on Australian Broadcasting Corporation's rage program. The song was nominated for Breakthrough Artist – Single, and Pleasance for Producer of the Year, at the ARIA Music Awards of 2000. The band toured Australia, including to Perth, and their popularity increased through word of mouth. BMG offered Augie March a recording contract, which they accepted. Augie March went into the studio in March 2000 to begin work on their first full-length album, Sunset Studies. Richards' friend, Rob Dawson, officially joined the band on keyboards and piano, after being a studio musician on Thanks for the Memes and Waltz. Richards returned to Shepparton to write the material for the album. The band worked in nine studios with six different engineers over the course of six months. In July 2000 they released its first single, "Hole in Your Roof". In October 2000 Sunset Studies appeared. The group attempted to organise launches in Sydney and Melbourne, however, they were thwarted, Donovan explained "it seemed like every band in the country was doing a tour then and we couldn't get any venues." They undertook a tour along Australia's east coast. The album peaked at number 35 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Sunset Studies' critical reception was generally positive; Noel Mengel of The Courier-Mail said that on the album, "songs of quiet reflection, starkly beautiful melodies and intimate poetry collide on the canvas without a thought to sales graphs or what radio program directors might think," while AllMusic's Jack Rabid told American readers "it's worth the effort to track down [the album], particularly for those who think there are no more musical craftsmen out there." The album earned the ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year for 2001, and received nominations for Producer of the Year, Breakthrough Artist – Album and Best Cover Art for Sam Hickey's work. Of the album's six engineers, Pleasance, Paul McKercher, Chris Thompson and Chris Dickie qualified for the ARIA Award for best engineer. McKercher and Pleasance, as well as the band, were named producers. Of the singles released from this album, "There Is No Such Place" was their most popular, which was listed at number 47 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2001 listeners poll. Preparations for a follow-up to Sunset Studies were disrupted on 2 January 2001 when Robert Dawson died in a two-car collision near Bairnsdale, Victoria, the other driver also died. Dawson's death had a significant impact on the band, especially on Richards who was writing for their second album, Strange Bird. However, it is not mournful; Richards described it as optimistic and humorous. Melburnian Kiernan Box (ex-the Blackeyed Susans) joined the group on harmonica, organ, piano and piano accordion. The band produced Strange Bird independently; Donovan said this worked to their advantage as they felt more comfortable in their own studio, and that as a result Strange Bird was a better album than Sunset Studies, though the band's debut album was "probably received better by our fans." In response to previous complaints about misinterpretations of Richards' Sunset Studies wordplay, Augie March included a lyrics booklet with Strange Bird. Strange Bird was released by BMG as the band's second studio album in October 2002. It was also released by spinART Records in the United Kingdom in that month. It was re-released in the United States in September 2004. Strange Bird reached number 34 on the ARIA charts, while its lead single, "The Vineyard", peaked at number 31. Augie March undertook the Strange Bird Tour around Australia. The critical response to Strange Bird was largely positive, and by the following June, Williams was mystified. He explained to Rip It Up!'s Scott McLennan, "I could see a few holes in the album and I'd say, 'how come no one else has picked this up?' I stopped reading our album reviews for a while." Reviewers, however, focused on the positives; Guy Garvey in The Independent said "My favourite of the year is Augie March's Strange Bird", while David Fricke wrote in Rolling Stone of