How irritating is it when a band sounds like someone else but you just can't place it? Very. That's the problem with Dust, who are otherwise a killer band mixing moody modern rock with grunge textures. Comparisons to relatively unknown indie bands like Reflescent Tide, Trailer Park Heroes, and Jawbone Hill come to mind, as well as Pearl Jam, but none of them are quite the elusive comparison I need. Maybe think of The Prayer Chain's Whirlpool EP but more laidback and with a '90s foundation rather than late '80s (but that's not really it either).
Despite being obviously derivative, Dust has a pretty solid and appealing sound, stemming primarily from a nice fat bass presence and great use of space in the songs. They have a maturity, a moodiness, a knowledge of how to build emotion that most young bands don't have. Each of the songs relies on repetition of chorus lines linked to the song titles; i.e. "I realize there must be something more" ("Something More"), "I feel the rain falling down" ("I Feel the Rain"), and "How much can I give myself to this love?" ("This Love"). Christian implications are strong, but direct references and Christianese are nicely avoided.
Although it's hardly worth tracking down this EP because of the short length, it might be worth it if Dust makes any other releases and eventually establishes a career. They've got an extremely promising future if they can just take their skills beyond imitation and into territory of their own.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by James StewartOne of the highlights of the bandstand (turn-up-and-play stage) at Greenbelt last summer, Dust's first CD is a very respectable indie recording. The band employs the classic three-piece line-up and draws from a range of influences from Hendrix to more contemporary rock acts, mainly on the heavier side of the genre. Live, the band certainly got the heavy rock fans going, but these four tracks keep…
