It is of critical importance that I get this review correct. After all, Augie March have some very dedicated, one might almost say rabid fans. I know this, because I myself am one of them. Anyone who I've ever discussed music with at any length has had Augie March recommended to them at some point, even if their particular thing is death metal or gangsta rap. This is why I was elated when I learned that a new album was on its way, and infuriated beyond reason when I learned that it had been delayed by the label.

After such anticipation, it was only natural that I was slightly underwhelmed by the album when I first got my hands on it. Now, before all the rest of you fans begin making arrangements to have my bloody corpse found in an alley tomorrow morning, I should disclose that I also initially found "Strange Bird" disappointing to begin with. Augie March are not an accessible band whose songs give themselves away on the first listen, they require time and attention to bloom, and that presents quite a quandary for the music reviewer, who usually only has a couple of weeks at the most to pass judgement on a piece of music.

The album starts out very strongly with the single One Crowded Hour. It's classic Augie, starting out with a very understated guitar line that gradually has piano, bass, drums, and an organ laid over it until it reaches a spectacular climax. It's similar in execution to The Hole In Your Roof, which opened "Sunset Studies", except with a lot more of a grandiose vibe, rather than drawing its inspiration from folk music, it channels chamber pop and it's climax is almost orchestral.

Of course, no Augie March album is without loads of variety, and this one is no exception. This Cold Acre begins with an almost plaintive piano melody before bursting into colour, and Just Passing Through sounds like a bitter You Am I rocker. Bottle Baby is slow, acoustic, and downcast, while The Baron Of Sentiment is an upbeat country song with just a touch of twang, and some nice vocal harmonies. All of these tracks are excellent, in their own way, although they're not as immediately as accessible, as say, Asleep In Perfection, or Little Wonder. There are also a few stranger, more experimental pieces on the album. Clockwork, for example, is a slow, brooding piece that runs to almost seven minutes, featuring brassy, distorted guitar and lyrics that are somewhat less obtuse than Richards' usual efforts.

Speaking of the lyrics, fans of Glenn Richards' characteristically verbose poetic style will not be disappointed. The words to Augie March songs have always been more poetry than lyrics, yet they've never sounded pretentious or clumsy, as bands with similarly flowery lyrics often do. This album continues this tradition, with the subtle vocal interplay with the music on The Cold Acre (And when I go/My dog will know/To leave his old fellow/And find a new pillow/Far from the chill of the cold acre), and the elegant simplicity of Bolte and Dunstan Talk Youth (On my Exford legs/On my Exford Walk/Bury my brains/In my Exford talk/'Til there's nothing I wouldn't do/To be sitting and talking with you), being shining examples.

I will admit that my opinion of this album has changed. When I first started writing this review, I was fully prepared to risk the wrath of thousands by saying that this album wasn't as good as "Strange Bird", and that there were a few clunkers. But now, having been listening to it for a bit longer, my opinion has changed. Just like on previous releases, each song here seems to have its own distinct magic, and even those songs that sound a bit flat to me (like Victoria's Secrets) are probably just songs that haven't grown on me yet. Even if they don't grow though, this album is far from underwhelming, and it is another worthy entry in Augie March's discography.