While Augie March generally fall into an indie/pop rock genre, their ability to mix other genres into their style at times makes classifying their musical style difficult. A common thread that runs through the band's sound is Richards' literate and often verbose lyrics, which have set the band apart from much of the rest of the Australian music scene. Even early on in their career, Richards' unique style attracted attention and he has drawn critical acclaim for his poetic style, with one reviewer describing him as "unique", "refreshing", and "intellectual". Allmusic's Jack Rabid said Richards "exhibits a honey voice" on "Sunset Studies", but "Grok" pointed out that the album was rendered too complex or intricate for many.