Rock trios always have the chance to redefine their confines of guitar, bass and drums; Brooklyn’s We Are Augustines choose to do so with a huge amount of heart and a forward-thinking spirit. Born from the smoldering ashes of familial heartbreak and the demise of front man, Billy McCarthy’s and bassist, Eric Sanderson’s band of five years, Pela, We Are Augustines is noticeably more triumphant than that former, but still hones in plenty on McCarthy’s passionate and quavering vocals. Rise Ye Sunken Ships, the band’s debut, is recognizably a heartbreaking collection of songs when the listener digs into McCarthy’s life story and recent experiences, but these songs never come across as completely battered and broken down. As the title announces, what has sunk will again rise — there is always hope, even from the bottom of the ocean. Listen, below to a recent live performance of “Chapel Song” and tune into 91.7 FM WMSE today at 2 p.m. CST for a live, in-studio performance before the band performs at the BMO Harris Pavilion at the Summerfest grounds tonight for a show with Counting Crows, Field Report and Kasey Anderson. 91.7 FM on the dial or stream live or in the archives at WMSE.org.
