Search - Duster :: Contemporary Movement

Will the real Duster please stand up?

Brian Hanson | 08/26/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"If you're a fan of mellow, meadering indie rock, "Contemporary Movement" might be the ticket. Duster's songwriting compares favorably with that of American Analog Set, Idaho, and Townies. There are even a few low key Modest Mouse and Juno-isms here and there.Unfortunately, the majority of this album sounds as if it might have been recorded on a boombox wrapped in blankets. For this type of material, capturing subtlety is critical, and this recording fails to convey the full impact of Duster's music. Instruments are not given their own spaces in the mix, and the drum sounds are criminal at times. It's no wonder that no recording credits are provided for this disc. This CD can be a reasonably enjoyable listen, provided you're willing to embrace its haziness, but it's probably best appreciated as backround music. If you're looking for a well-crafted wash of sound to crank on headphones, drag out your well-worn copy of Loveless instead. If this fine band insists on hiding behind this recording, the best we can do is enjoy at a safe distance."

Gold dust

Brian Hanson | Boston, MA USA | 04/28/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My thoughts on Duster. Western California. Silicon Valley. Golden dust hangs in the air like drops of rain on blades of grass after a summer shower, or slants earthward athwart the bend of the palm trees, driven by wind. Whence this dust? Is it the haze of progress, the fallout of technology? No! It's the gorgeous melancholy of Duster's guitars. A desperately amateur critic might compare their sound to early Pavement(think Perfect Depth) crossed with Galaxie 500(On Fire-era). This critic would rather describe their sound as something wholly original, which indeed it is. You know that feeling you get when the trees are blowing in the Pacific breeze and twilight hangs heavy on the horizon? Perhaps not, but you can imagine the combination of beauty and sadness that hovers in the air. If I had to hire a band to compose the score to such an evening, it would be Duster. Let those who criticize the polish of the recording languish in the river Lethe! This is powerful, raw music with enough chimes and spangly chords to impress the Byrds. And enough despondence to catch Kafka's attention. Seriously, the rough production in no way diminishes the power of the material, in the same way that early Pavement recordings are invulnerable to the injuries of sound engineers. All of their work so far is brilliant and necessary, but you might not guess it from the other reviews here. There is a steady evolution at work here, with Stratosphere being a valuable debut of somewhat inconsistent quality, and 1975 being a flawless example of the band's potential, and Contemporary Movement indicating the direction in which they're travelling - lagging a bit on the final two tracks, but exhibiting genius on the first ten to an extent that very few modern bands can manage. This is sometimes slow music, but never dull - don't think Low, think a barely restrained explosion, and you begin to imagine their sound. One of the few bands of note out there right now. Oh yeah - and here's hoping the Seattle move doesn't sacrifice the Western California sound."