All the Stars and Boulevard by Augustana

All the Stars and Boulevards is the debut album of Augustana, a Californian piano rock band. This album was released on September 6, 2005. Yeah I know that was ages ago but hey great music do not take time as a measurement for quality.
 

  
Anyway, this is a really good album. If not good then is above average. I guess if I have to label I would label it 3.5/4 out of 5 stars. This is a very very American band. If you like The Fray, Lifehouse or Jack’s Mannequin you probably will like this band too. The songs were really good. If you want some light listening then this is good enough for you to spend a couple bucks to own this cd.

Boston is a great track which is also my personal favourite. I do think most people will agree with me too that this is one of the best song in this album. I know my friends did. It never get old listening to this track. It is about starting over in a place that no one knew you. I can relate to this song very much indeed. I really wish that someday I can leave all things behind and just pack a bag and move to some where no one knew me at all. I guess I’m a escapist by heart.
  

Anyway, Boston start off with a few notes of piano which is very light and beautiful. And as the song goes by the track start to pick up, climaxing. I got to say this song has one hell of a lyric.

The essential yet appealed
Carry all your thoughts cross an open field
When flowers gaze at you
They’re not the only ones
Who cry when they see you

She said, you don’t know me
You don’t wear my chains

To leave this all behind
I think I need a sunrise
I’m tired of the sunset
Here it’s nice in the summer
Some snow would be nice

click play then mute the clip, continue reading after finish can listen to it w/o any lagging

Stars and Boulevards is a great song too. It started off with piano too which sounded really great. And this song is about a guy and a girl that broke up because of how others people told the girl that that guy is not good enough for her. Eventually she left him and went on her own…

The sunrise will come too soon
And you’ll disappear
To the haze of the city and yourself

Look out
They’re coming after us with big guns
They’re only gonna tell you all the bad things I’ve done
Even if the words they say aren’t true,
They’ve won
Now I’m left here dying in the sun

I like Wasteland too. It was sad yet comforting. It sings about life. How the persona life was empty and wasted. Partying and hook up…

And we're nothing more than fools and whores and sad highs
Through the summer sand, we're living in
We're living in a wasteland

Lonely People and Coffee and Cigarettes both were great songs too. Lonely People was raw with emotion. He sings about how he was getting involve with a relationship but actually he was still not over with his previous one. That’s the reason why he seems so distant and sad though he is with her current girlfriend, Holly.

Well Holly, she makes me sad
Forgive me if I look so lonely

Coffee and Cigarettes was a bit mellow and bittersweet. I think it was about the love of the persona was dying with sickness. And all he wanted to do was just spend time together with her.

And I'm sure you've lost that weight again
And I'm sure the pills keeps pouring in
Like smoke that falls, it's caving into you
So put me on a plane and fly me to anywhere
Put me on a plane and fly me to anywhere
Put me on a plane and fly me to anywhere with you
With you

The verdict, I believe this band actually can do much better though this is their debut album but it was pretty impressive. All the Stars and Boulevard is quite a good album and the album seems to pick up in the latter few songs. The lyrics was well written but music wise I was actually looking forward for more piano based tracks since they claim they are a piano rock band but there were like just 3 or 4 songs were piano based. Anyhow this is a great band though I  was a bit disappointed by their sophomore album, Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt. Well, that is another time another day then.

I’m not going to upload this album for download cause the home line is way too slow. Just google ‘all the stars and boulevard by augustana mediafire’ walah! there you go. Just don’t click on the 1st link that shows up cause is password protected.

All the Stars and Boulevard by Augustana

Share

Absolutes by Barcelona

Actually, I wanted to blog about a new album but after I re-watched the video ‘Kuroshio Sea’ I decided to blog about this album instead. You guys really have to watch the video because it was really amazing and surely would left you in awe. I in fact did posted the video in my personal blog before, well good things should be share again right.

Anyway, the video will be posted below. So, focus on the album now. This is the first album released by Barcelona back in 2007. Though, they did launched another ‘remastered’ version when they were signed by Universal Motown in 2009. But, I think I prefer the original version.

Absolutes without doubt is one great album. There is no single weak songs in it. Is kinda surprising considering this is their debut album. And they have already shows us how outstanding they were. It was a pure bliss listening to this album. My personal favourite for sure is Please Don’t Go, Get Up, Get Up, Get Up, Response, Numb, You Will Pull Through, Stars, First Floor People….well basically I almost listed out the whole track list. Hehe…

 

Well, quite a number of tracks like Please, Get up, Pull through, and First Floor People is a bit dark but is not depressing like Damien Rice-style. It was serene enough to listen, occasionally with some indescribable feeling when listening to it. It is not boring also. It somehow have ‘magic’ to capture your attention and just listen.

The lyrics are somehow like a mirage. Like is there, yet is not there. Somehow, it does not make quite sense but after a few times listening to it. You will went ‘Aha’ as is like the meanings had been always there waiting for you to be discover. It just like wine tasting. You have to sip a few more and let the wine ‘run’ around your mouth then with a gentle push of your tongue the wine slip down your throat. Then embrace yourself in the aftertaste.

The music, oh how should I begin. “Please Don’t Go” has the most amazing tune I think. It gave me this strange worldliness feeling like I’m in some vast snowy white land. “Get up, Get up, Get up” has a intense tune at the end. If you listen to it carefully, the tune get much more intense and the pitch get higher and higher and with that the song ends with a single tune. It really sounds like the choir is cheering for the persona to stand up and with the ending note the persona finally was on his two feet with his fists toward the sky. Perfect.

If you are an Indie Pop digger, this is an album you should not miss. As a matter of fact, if you like Coldplay, The Fray, Keane most probably this album would appeal to you too. In fact, the song ‘It’s about time’ remind me of the album Under the Iron Sea by Keane.

I really can’t wait for their second album. Is been 3 years since 2007. Is about time  they come out with a second album.

Please Don’t Go (not official video) but think this is awesome.

Kuroshio Sea - 2nd largest aquarium tank in the world - (song is Please don't go by Barcelona) from Jon Rawlinson on Vimeo.

Oh looks like they are working on their 2nd album :) Can’t Wait!

Absolutes by Barcelona

Share