Bio:
Don't you just hate it when bands appear on the live scene, play a handful of shows, start to show some promise and then disappear before they really have a chance to find their voice? Victims of boredom and competing visions and apathy, splintering into new permutations of band members and genres of music. It seems like some sort of epidemic, especially in Brisbane. In late 2005 Mt Augustus was started as a way of simultaneously escaping this trap while also embracing the excitement inherent in the continual cycle of build-destroy-rebuild. Built around the nucleus of the folky narratives of songwriter Cameron Smith (of various Brisbane bands you’d be forgiven for not giving a damn about), Mt Augustus was designed as a band which could be fluid, whose sound could be bent and re-moulded time and time again; over the years the band has featured members of other Brisbane acts as the John Steel Singers, Little Scout, Fickle Beasts and The Narcotics.
First appearing in early 2006, Mt Augustus has gone from rustic alt.country to fuzzed out, psychedelic pop and onwards to dynamic folk-rock with a slight noise-rock fixation. Most recently Mt Augustus has focussed more on a more sparse, dramatic sound that veers towards that employed by the so-called 'slowcore' movement of the late 90s, except it eschews that genre's rigidity in favour of an almost garage-rock esque looseness and fluidity.
2009 has seen the release of the band's second record: 'The Warmest Winter' is an EP of songs recorded in years past, back when the band was being influenced by sounds such as those from the Elephant 6 collective's psychedelic folk pop and Canada's burgeoning indie-rock scene. The title track featured on last year's 'Stranded' Brisbane music compilation, and was included in the top half of 4ZZZ's yearly Hot 100 poll. 'The Warmest Winter' is something of a relic from a bygone era, a sound that the band has moved past but still looks back on with warm feelings. For a more representative document of the band look towards the beginning of 2010 when Mt Augustus will be releasing their self-titled debut album, filled with minimalist songs that develop slowly and quietly, occasionally bursting out into walls of cathartic noise or joyous pop.
Mt Augustus have played with acts such as Mt Eerie (USA), Holly Throsby, The John Steel Singers, Cloud Control, Aleks & The Ramps, Mixylodian (Canada), Richard In Your Mind, Abbe May, Fulton Lights (USA), Svensson (France), New Neighbors (USA), and others who are probably equally worthy of being listed here but perhaps don't have the same level of associated credibility.
Press:
The trio hold our rapt attention... These songs demand closer inspection.
Rave Magazine live review (Andrew McMillen), June 2009
Mt. Augustus has long been in mutation, centred around local Cameron Smith, and tonight sees a new strain: Smith on electric guitar, backed only by one accompanist on simplistic, two-piece drums. Smith’s songs – self-effacing and dramatic – seem to best fit this pared-back vision. The brutish, Aussie twang to his voice becomes the vivid colour the songs require. Smith’s lone guitar gathers more dirt and gusto as the set progresses, and in final bout of emotive intensity ends up hurtled to the floor.
Time Off Magazine live review (Paul Donoughue), June 2009
Mt Augustus’s performance, by contrast, is considerably more subdued – but equally as enthralling. The trio’s noir-ish edge is only emphasised by their sparse instrumentation and the shambolic, post-folk soundscapes the outfit coax out of their instruments proves both captivating and unsettling – utterly transforming Top Floor Galleries’ bohemian elegance into something altogether more sinister and melancholic. The trio’s more conventional indie-rock numbers sound somewhat pedestrian against such an idiosyncratic backdrop but one cannot deny the band’s bright future in light of tonight’s set.
Time Off Magazine live review (Matt O'Neill), May 2009
The Reverend Storm is the climax of an arresting set that skillfully balances folk and indie pop.
Rave Magazine live review (Andrew McMillen), May 2009
Cameron Smith of Mt Augustus gets on and performs two moody, biblical-reference-laden songs before being joined by his two colleagues. The trio’s trademark ‘singing saw’ is deliciously haunting; new percussionist Kat McAulay extracts Moe Tucker-school beats from the most minimal kit this side of the Violent Femmes. An uptempo, fuzz bass-led number and jangly There’s Always Winter round off the brief, yet compelling set
Rave Magazine live review (Dennis Semchenko), February 2009
"Mt Augustus assemble on the stage and kick off their engaging brand of emotionally driven, rock-infused folk, along the veins of bands like Neutral Milk Hotel. They take a couple of songs to warm up but then it all clicks, tracks from their new Monolith EP going over well, particularly Club Soda and a nice duet in You Were The Last One To Reply. The accordion in the band's line-up brings all sorts of goodness, and frontman Cam Smith lets out some impressive howls amongst the crooning."
Rave Magazine live review (Michael Pincott), October 2007
"The heartfelt caterwauls of ragged vocals, mandolins and steel-string acoustics are also closer to your doorstep than you have probably taken the time to notice. Mt. Augustus have been treading the floorboards of Brisbane for almost two years and with Monolith they deliver on a bunch of songs that should rival our love of cult-laden bands such as Okkervil River."
Time Off Magazine review of Monolith (Alex Gillies), September 2007
"Employing folk instrumentation, but with a lack of significant overlap, Mt Augustus end up with a soothing, stripped-back sound... while it doesn't sit so pretty, it does provoke an ache and yearning only good folk groups convey easily."
Rave Magazine review of Monolith (Ili Tulloch), August 2007
Releases:
Our track 'The Warmest Winter' appears on the Stranded Brisbane Music Compilation that was put together by Before Hollywood. You can buy a copy from the blog.
To purchase records (Monolith EP, The Warmest Winter EP, Stranded) etc head to the Mt Augustus page on the Incremental Records website.
Also check Rockinghorse Records.
All songs were recorded by Incremental Records
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