It's been a big year for Augusta-bred band Dead Confederate.

It opened for R.E.M. at the South by Southwest music festival, toured the west coast with the Drive-By Truckers, ran rampant through the festival circuit and was named one of Rolling Stone magazine's six acts to watch.

Not a bad start, said Brantley Senn, the bass player and a principal songwriter.

On Sept. 15, Dead Confederate will release the full-length Wreck-ing Ball (TAO), which was recorded this year in Austin, Texas, with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Patty Griffin).

That will be followed by an appearance Oct. 10 on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and a tour through the end of 2008.

Dead Confederate began as the jam-centric Augusta act Redbelly, which became the Redbelly Band. Two years ago, the band changed its name and sound, switching from open-ended arrangements to a darker, more concise style of songwriting. Its current sound could prove just as transitional.

"We've always been willing to change with our whims," Mr. Senn said.. "I think we'll continue to be like that until we fall apart or get too old to do this."

The days leading up to the record's release have been kid-at-Christmas difficult for Dead Confederate members.

The album has been ready for some time and was originally scheduled for a May release.

Mr. Senn said the date was pushed to September to take advantage of collegiate word-of-mouth.

"This is the ultimate version of us," Mr. Senn said of the record. "But I also know the next album will be completely different. Every time we get to do an album, up to this point, it has been an exercise in saying goodbye. We do evolve with each release.

"We already have plenty of songs, ready to record, and they are different from these."

Mr. Senn said the next step will be to incorporate more of the band's musical interests into the dark and dense Dead Confederate arrangements.

He said a careful ear might pick up hints of that direction in songs like Yer Circus .

"With Wrecking Ball , we really wanted to put across how we sound live, so there is some of that in there," he said.