Their previous album, Can't Love, Can't Hurt , hasn't even been out for a year, but Augustana bassist Jared Palomar says the band has started work on their third album. They've been testing out some of the new material on the road at recent shows.

"We've tried a couple of them out live and they've been really fun [to play]," Palomar told Alternative Addiction in a recent interview.  "We play songs just to try them out and we take them as far as we can go, without having a finished song.  Hopefully we can just continue to play and figure out some stuff."

As the band considers their bread and butter to be playing on the road, it should come as no surprise that they plan to use their live show to aid in the writing process. "At the end of the day we've been a touring band, and we've always done our best work on the road," said Palomar. "We've just tried to work hard by touring and being on the road, and I think that will always continue."

They hope to showcase some of their live energy on the next release. This is something that Palomar says they have been unable to do in the past."We haven't really been able to translate how we are as a live band into a good concrete recording. We really want to work with someone who captures who we are as a band," said Palomar, discussing what the band will be looking for in a producer.

Since the band is in the early stages of the recording process, they couldn't commit to a time frame when they expect to have the new release ready. They hope to have something available in 2009.  Most of all, Palomar says the band is just looking forward to writing music together.

"I think we're really excited to just get in a room and write songs together, that's something we haven't been able to do in a long time with all the touring, just be a band."

Augustana just completed a tour with OneRepublic and The Spill Canvas, and will play a number of Christmas shows before beginning work on their new album in January.

Listen To Alternative Addiciton's Interview with Augustana