A shot in the dark for Augustana

Take equal parts Bruce Springsteen and the Killers with a dash of Tom Petty and a dusting of Kings of Leon, and you have the recipe for the latest, self-titled release from Augustana. Produced by Jacquire King, who's spacey reverb and dark echo fingerprint has graced recent offerings from KOL and Norah Jones, Augustana is a classic mix of guitar rock, rootsy country hooks and folk sensibilities.

The starting track and lead-off single "Steal Your Heart" is a soaring anthem in the vein of the Killers, almost begging for a large arena to fill. It's no wonder that the four core band members were supplemented by an extra guitar player, keyboard and percussionist when they performed "Steal Your Heart" on a recent Jay Leno appearance. The layered guitars, driving drums and group sing-along choruses reinforce what might have otherwise been middle-of-the-road lyrics and a simple melody. While some long-time fans might be a little thrown-off by the Killers-esque vibe of "Steal Your Heart," it is an undeniably catchy song.

"Wrong Side of Love" echos the driving groove of Tom Petty in his prime, while "Borrowed Time" mixes in some country/folk-spiced accents. My personal favorite is the catchy rock-shuffle of "Shot in the Dark," a song that conveys a mix of tempering disillusionment and cautious hope while looking back at dreams and plans from a younger life that didn't quite come to pass.

Singer Dan Layus is grittier and less polished here than on the band's previous two albums. Some of the record's best moments come when he relaxes the rock sparkle and lets a little bit of his vulnerability show through, as he does on the not-giving-up-on-us "Just Stay Here Tonight," lonely-in-the-city, Wallflowers-esque "Hurricane" and the slow-but-steady closer "You Were Made For Me."

The band has done some growing up in the years since their freshman release. The songwriting on Augustana seems to reflect the paradigm shift that comes with years on the road and the strain it causes on love and family, something that was only post-teenage speculation on their debut six years ago.
 
There is a subtle optimism hovering in the background throughout Augustana, but the band seems to be careful to temper it with a sense of Great Recession-era realism. Times are still tough, and the future's uncertain, but there's still some fight left for the things that matter. Good thing we have great music to arm ourselves with.