Mainstream breakthrough (2004–2009) Augie March

augie march on stage @ hardly strictly bluegrass festival in october 2007

augie march returned studio in 2004 record follow-up strange bird. band worked 2 producers, paul mckercher , eric drew feldman, , recorded in melbourne, san francisco, , own studio in nagambie, victoria. donovan said more suited band s style; co-produced on albums, took great deal of interest in production. said enabled them work @ own pace, hence four-year gap between releases. released dvd, drones & vapid ditties, containing live performances , music videos, in mid-2004. band s upcoming album, according triple j, inspired streets of melbourne. upon completion of initial recording sessions of moo, bloody choir, there six-month delay before release, augie march meticulously added finishing touches it. in march 2006, album released.

moo, bloody choir saw band move receiving critical acclaim achieving mainstream success well. album spent 21 weeks on aria albums chart, peaking @ number ten, while lead single 1 crowded hour reached number 29 in 20-week aria singles chart stint. album certified platinum in australia. work augie march nominated 6 aria awards in 2006, including 1 crowded hour single of year . despite hype, band did not win further arias. augie march still more successful underground in mainstream; 1 crowded hour topped triple j hottest 100, 2006. album s popularity saw nominated 2006 j award. 2008 australian poll ranked 1 crowded hour tenth best australian song of past 20 years.

glenn richards in november 2007

augie march s musical abilities recognised when became winner of second annual australian music prize in 2006 outstanding , creative australian album released in past year . ammendola told drum media winning award more significant aria award, s award s nominated on grounds of music, , art of - not record sales . band used a$25,000 prize money fund tour. richards later said band had no great expectations of breakthrough through in us, , if second attempt not successful, not try again.

in august 2007, moo, bloody choir released in united states on jive zomba record label. in lead-up release, augie march toured regularly, playing in los angeles , new york in may. shows continued following album s release, augie march praised media. pitchfork media called crime band had not broken through in north america earlier, though allmusic remarked strange bird higher quality album follow-up.

despite success of moo, bloody choir, of augie march s post-album touring involved supporting other bands. played shows supporting aliens , andrew bird in united states, before returning australia open crowded house. richards said band s status opening act, rather headlining own shows, saw challenge—their intention win on fans came see main act. however, called tour aliens depressing; bands played different types of music, , attendance @ shows small. augie march later earned prime slot @ 2008 big day out.

the success of moo, bloody choir saw richards expected record label sony bmg produce quality follow-up. denied being under significant pressure, though persistence of label— richo, have got single? have singles? please, have singles? —was noted. of writing augie march s fourth album took place while touring united states, richards argued minimised band s opportunities creative. in 2008, augie march began recording watch me disappear @ neil finn s auckland studios; recorded in melbourne, sydney, , los angeles. band worked in new zealand away distraction of melbourne, hometown, allowing them focus solely on recording.

augie march worked producer joe chiccarelli, took significant pay cut work on album after declaring interest in augie march s music. according richards, production of watch me disappear process contained fair bit of friction . ammendola critical of chiccarelli s style of production , short amount of time spent in studio. recording process took toll on relationships in band. ammendola has said tore bits. really shit, we’re patching now.

after placing album s title track on website free downloading, augie march announced first proper headline tour of homeland , in play music new album. album released in october 2008. watch me disappear s reception more mixed of predecessors. patrick donovan of age said, [y]ou feeling watch me disappear please more mates , old fans , bernard zuel wrote in sydney morning herald album no doubt polarise fans . watch me disappear entered aria albums chart @ number four.

augie march played @ melbourne cricket ground on 14 march 2009 sound relief, multi-venue rock music concert in support of relief victorian bushfire crisis. event held simultaneously concert @ sydney cricket ground. proceeds melbourne concert went red cross victorian bushfire relief. appearing augie march in melbourne were, bliss n eso paris wells, gabriella cilmi, hunters & collectors, kasey chambers & shane nicholson troy cassar-daley, jack johnson, jet, kings of leon, liam finn, midnight oil, paul kelly, split enz , wolfmother.

in july 2009, 1 crowded hour voted number 59 australian public in triple j hottest 100 of time. same month, band headed out on dubbed watch me set strange sun bloody choir tour saw them play every capital city , many regional areas, giving each of 4 albums equal showing.

beginning in december 2009, band began multi-year hiatus. glenn richards released glimjack, first solo album, in 2010.