Augustana

Augustana crafts rootsy, piano-driven rock that channels the sweeping emotionalism of Coldplay and Keane while echoing the mid-’90s adult-alternative textures of Counting Crows and the Wallflowers. Although the group eventually called California home, it was founded in southern Illinois in 2002 when vocalist-keyboardist Dan Layus and guitarist Josiah Rosen were enrolled in the contemporary Christian music program at Greenville College. The original roster also featured bassist Simeon Lohrmann, keyboardist David Lamoureaux, and drummer Kyle Baker. In 2003 that lineup issued two self-released projects—the full-length Midwest Skies and Sleepless Mondays and the EP Mayfield—yet the restrictive atmosphere at Greenville College prompted Layus and Rosen to abandon their studies. The pair relocated to Los Angeles in 2004, parted ways with their original bandmates, and assembled a new lineup that included keyboardist John Vincent, bassist Jared Palomar, and drummer Justin South.

The reconstituted Augustana secured a deal with Epic Records in 2005 and delivered its major-label debut, All the Stars and Boulevards, that September. Initial sales were modest, but the heartfelt ballad “Boston” gained traction after appearing on an episode of Scrubs in early 2006. To capitalize on the growing interest, the label issued a limited-edition reissue containing bonus tracks and video material in September 2006. The album finally entered the Billboard Top 40 the following year, nearly nineteen months after its original release. By 2008 Augustana returned with yet another configuration—guitarist Josiah Rosen had exited in early 2006 to pursue a solo career and was succeeded by Chris Sachtleben on guitar and mandolin—and a sophomore album, Can’t Love, Can’t Hurt. More organic in tone than the debut, the record spawned two modestly charting singles and moved 400,000 copies globally. Its earthy, anthemic direction set the stage for the band’s self-titled third album, which surfaced in 2011 under the guidance of producer Jacquire King, whose previous credits include Kings of Leon’s Only by the Night.