Album Review: Suicide Swans - Augusta

There's no slapping any genre label on Suicide Swans.

Fuzzy, mid-tempo rock with tinges of alt-country, roots and bluegrass is what the Brisbane-via-Toowoomba five-piece have doled out since they banded together a few years back to release a self-titled EP and debut album Ghosts We Forget.

Their influences - Neil Young, My Morning Jacket - are heard and felt as strongly as they were on their former release, but this time around there's more interludes, filled by some gentle strumming or Kyle Jenkins' searing vocals, and it makes Augusta a more than pleasant story to listen to.

It's the quieter, sadder, more intimate moments that one can revel in. Wall's yearning vocals and clanging guitars, Come And See's lamenting strums; they're the ones that tickle those sweet spots. There are the more upbeat stompers that also make their mark, single Horses and Let Me Be both step up the rock and reverb, and four-part harmonies across the board are a nice touch. It's an assured release and proves that Suicide Swans are ever-embracing and trusting of whatever sonic muse they choose to heed, but always keep their feet firmly planted in their wild and rootsy beginnings.