Published on July 8th, 2012 | by greg
0Dusted: Total Dust:: Review
To say it’s hot outside would be an understatement. Not only is it hot, it’s dry and the air has a dusty and hazy quality that quickly wipes you out. After spending time outside, you feel gritty, grimy and your strength is sapped by the lingering rays of the sun. The same could be said of listening to Canadian duo Dusted, comprised of guitarist Brian Borcherdt (By Divine Right, Holy Fuck) and producer Leon Taheny (Final Fantasy, Bruce Peninsula). Dusted specializes in tunes that would be perfect for an ill-advised summer’s drive through the sun-bleached Anza Borrego desert on their debut Total Dust. Total Dust is an atmospheric album that features string arrangements alongside guitar feedback and heavy doses of reverb that complement Borcherdt’s higher vocal register.
“All Come Down” sets the tone for Total Dust with its wide open space imagery and chugging fuzz guitar. There’s a spare tambourine that highlights the isolation that’s felt on “All Come Down” which ends almost as quickly as it began. “(Into The) Atmosphere” comes off as a weird duet, it’s a spacey campfire song fueled by its almost percussive strumming and keyboard accompaniment. “Cut Them Free” follows and there’s a disconnect – the tune is too upbeat for the ominous mood that it’s trying to set and for some reason, I’m reminded of a hokey episode of The Brady Bunch when they went to the Grand Canyon and were forced to deal with a villainous prospector. “Low Humming” fares better at ratcheting up the atmosphere and comes across as proggy and reminiscent of ELP. The tense and terse “Pale Light” and “Property Lines” follow suit and demand your full attention as Total Dust peaks.
“Dusted” serves as the come-down on Total Dust and it’s a moody piece that features a feedback-laden vocal chorus that tops the falsetto of “Long It Lasts.” The brittle “There Somehow” closes the album and feels like it could fall apart at any moment as the record draws to a close. Total Dust captures the feeling that not everything is made to last and that’s ok.
Rating: 
