One 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 things slightly more restrained--the introduction to "Something More" even appealed to the emo fan in me. Marc James' vocals are impassioned (occasionally reminiscent of Del Currie of Fono/Seven), and he is no average guitarist. The rhythm section underpins things nicely, with some nice, fat bass lines. The lyrics are overtly evangelistic (the band do outreach gigs across the country and a fair bit of schools' work) but not overly cliched. I await a full-length recording with interest.
Other coverage for this album
The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Josh SpencerHow 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…
