We all have a soundtrack to our lives or at least what we would envision to be the perfect walk-away melody to the worst heartbreak. Augustana has hit this mark once again with the sophomore album, “Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt,” which explores the realities of mistakes and maturity.
Formed from the backbone of rock band society, this So-Cal based quintet became a household name in 2006, as the success of their single, “Boston,” propelled them into living rooms around the globe.
Keep an ear out for potential runner-ups to that chart-topping hit, as this album is replete with music to live by. The titles alone introduce the essence of each track, easily discerning which song to select for correlating emphasis: “I Still Ain’t Over You,” “Either Way, I’ll Break Your Heart,” “Twenty Years.”
These 20-somethings have developed a keen sense of life’s extravagant rollercoaster after touring nationwide for months on end. Following the phenomenon of “Boston,” lead singer/pianist and founding member Dan Layus wrote a song for his baby girl entitled “Meet Me There Someday.” Layson both married and had a daughter within his recent success, and the strain of being away from either woman in his life stimulated his songwriting.
He stayed awake one night as the bus traveled on to the next show and produced a beautiful lessons-to-live-by for his growing child. Backed by life experiences and a no-nonsense attitude, Augustana has once again found itself in the blossoming limelight.
Describing his songs as “catchy and accessible,” Layus bases the album on his favorite singer/songwriter, Tom Petty. Petty’s philosophy of “Don’t bore us, get to the chorus” has riveted Augustana’s listening audiences nationwide, making crowds sway and women swoon. ?
Infusing each of the songs with a serene reflection on people and places, “Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt,” encapsulates the 20/20 vision of post-experience insight, while lyrically exploiting the nostalgic urges created through lyrics such as “get it right this time, get it off your mind / let the summer rain bring rest and shame and love.”
Augustana will leave you with a wind-in-your-hair, suspended-by-water, problem-free calm that you can’t hate, can’t shake, can’t wait to push play one more time. Whether the cataclysm of heartbreaks has graced your doorstep, or you’ve had the paramount epiphany of get-the-hell-out-of-Dodge, this album will leave you amped to forget the soul-searching and give into life.
