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Duster (band)

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Duster
Duster performing in New York in 2023
Duster performing in New York in 2023
Background information
Also known asValium Aggelein (1997-98)
OriginSan Jose, California, U.S.
Genres
DiscographyDuster discography
Years active
  • 1996–2000
  • 2018–present
Labels
  • Up
  • The Static Cult
  • Skylab Operations
  • Mudd Guts
  • Numero
MembersClay Parton
Canaan Dove Amber
Past membersJason Albertini
WebsiteBandcamp

Duster is an American indie rock band, formed in San Jose, California in 1996.[1][2] For most of its history, the group consisted of multi-instrumentalists Clay Parton and Canaan Dove Amber alongside drummer Jason Albertini before Albertini left the band in 2022.

The band released two albums, Stratosphere (1998) and Contemporary Movement (2000) before going inactive. In 2018, Duster began recording new music and returned to performing live soon after.

Duster were closely associated with the burgeoning slowcore and space rock revival movements during the 1990s. The band received an unprecedented level of popularity in the 2020s, attributed to the usage of their songs on TikTok.[3]

History

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The band was initially formed by Clay Parton (born Ewing Clay Parton, July 29, 1975)[4] and Canaan Dove Amber (born March 7, 1976)[5] in 1996.

Parton and Amber, who had previously worked together in the bands Mohinder and Calm, self-released two cassettes that year, On the Dodge and Christmas Dust, as well as a 7", Transmission, Flux, on Up Records in 1997.[6] In 1998, Jason Albertini joined as the band's drummer, playing on three songs for the band's debut album Stratosphere. Beginning with 1999's 1975 EP, Albertini became much more involved in the group's process, playing many more instruments and sharing recording/producing credits with Parton and Amber. By 2000's Contemporary Movement, he was fully involved in the creative process as a permanent member of the group.[7][8] In 2000, Up Records founder Chris Takino died of leukemia, and the band's members went on to pursue other projects. Parton started a record label, The Static Cult, which released his new project Eiafuawn as well as Albertini's band Helvetia. Amber and Albertini relocated to Seattle.[9]

On April 13, 2018, Duster posted via their Instagram page that they are "recording a little bit".[10] The band played their first show in 18 years on December 14, 2018, opening for Alex G at Warsaw in Brooklyn, New York.[11] They also played two headlining shows at Baby's All Right in Brooklyn on the next two days, where they debuted new material.[12] The band's discography was reissued in March 2019 through the Capsule Losing Contact boxset on The Numero Group.[13] On July 4, 2019, the band released their first standalone single in almost 20 years, "Interstellar Tunnel", and subsequently announced their third self-titled studio album, which was released on December 13 that year.[14][15]

Of their hiatus and subsequent reunion, Parton said, "When we took a break almost two decades ago, we didn't think it was going to all completely stop. We thought we could keep it drifting at least, maybe at a slower pace and with a different process. But everything just went dark. We were always in touch and sometimes we'd talk about doing Duster things, but days just piled up... In recent years we've talked more seriously about at least doing another record. Now everything is sort of working out, and we are making new things together, but we're taking it slow and still doing most things wrong, so it does feel like right where we left off."[16]

On March 31, 2022, the band surprise-released their fourth studio album Together through several music videos on YouTube, with the album becoming available for sale the following day.[17] Following the release, Parton announced that Albertini had left Duster to focus on his indie rock project Helvetia,[18] although Albertini stated in the liner notes of the Bandcamp release of his 2023 album, You shot up past the moon scapegoat, that it was more complicated and his departure was due to mental health.[19]

On August 30, 2024, the band surprise-released their fifth studio album In Dreams.[20][21]

Side projects

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The band released two albums under the pseudonym Valium Aggelein in 1996 and 1997 respectively which were later re-released as a box set, Black Moon, by Numero Group in 2020. Parton has also released music under the pseudonyms Eiafuawn (short for Everything is all fucked up and what not) and the Soviets and played in bands like El Buzzard, Breasts, Parton Kooper Planetarium, Two Boys Alright, Stumpy and Ghost Drugs. Albertini has his own band Helvetia that has put out multiple records on Parton's record label The Static Cult Label and has played with Mike Johnson, Built to Spill and Xiu Xiu. Amber has also released an EP under his name and Lonnie Win.[9]

Musical style

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Generally seen as indie rock, the group has been also associated with the space rock revival and slowcore movements by critics due to their unique sound.[22][9] To produce this, the band typically recorded at their home studio, Low Earth Orbit,[23] on cheap and older recording equipment, such as cassette decks, giving their music a lo-fi quality.[9]

Legacy

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Duster did not attract much, if any, media attention during their original run. Pitchfork and AllMusic were the only publications that reviewed their debut album Stratosphere in 1998, and it did not make the year-end lists. In 2018, Ian Cohen wrote for Stereogum about the band's "low-key legacy".[24] In 2019, Vice wrote that, "Before Bandcamp-born songwriters like (Sandy) Alex G and Mitski legitimized inward-peering indie rock for the modern age, Duster penned the operations manual."[9] Paste noted that the internet helped give them more exposure than a small independent label such as Up Records could.[25] Vice also credited Soulseek and Rate Your Music for spreading the band's music.[9]

Duster experienced a surge in popularity during the early 2020s, attributed to their songs being popular on TikTok. This coincided with a broader revival of interest in the shoegaze and slowcore genres with young people, an effect also largely attributed to TikTok.[3] This came as a surprise to music writers; Mark Richardson of The Ringer declared in 2019, after Duster reunited, that "Duster are not, were not, and never will be, a 'big' band."[26] That perception had changed by 2023, when Eli Enis of Stereogum wrote, "Duster are, improbably, a legitimately big band, and their success is directly related to the boom-time that shoegaze and slowcore (the genres they blur) are currently enduring."[27] Enis previously said that "Duster and Sweet Trip are as canonically important to young alt-rockers as the Pixies and Built to Spill were to previous generations."[28]

Members

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Current members

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  • Clay Parton - instruments, production (1996–2000, 2018–present)
  • Canaan Dove Amber - instruments, production (1996–2000, 2018–present)

Former members

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  • Jason Albertini - drums, production (1998–2000, 2018–2022)

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Duster discography

References

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  1. ^ Jones, Kevin (February 18, 2023). "Reunited slowcore rockers Duster return to SF for Noise Pop 30 - CBS San Francisco". www.cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  2. ^ "The Old Disappearing Reappearing Act". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved October 15, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Wray, Daniel Dylan (May 28, 2024). "Duster review – indie rockers impress amid unlikely TikTok renaissance". The Guardian. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  4. ^ "Ewing Clay Parton". FamilySearch. United States Public Records, 1970-2009. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Canaan Dove Amber". FamilySearch. United States Public Records, 1970-2009. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Duster Just Sent 'Stratosphere' Into Space For Its 25th Anniversary". Stereogum. 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  7. ^ Friesen, David (2012-01-25). "Duster - Stratosphere Review". tinymixtapes.com. Tiny Mix Tapes. Retrieved 2019-03-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Richardson, Mark (2010-11-19) (19 November 2010). "Resonant Frequency". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork. Retrieved 2019-07-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ a b c d e f Coney, Brian (27 August 2018). "The Slow Return of Duster, the Lo-Fi Trio Who Secretly Changed Indie Rock". noisey.vice.com. Vice. Retrieved 2019-03-29.
  10. ^ Arcand, Rob. "Duster Are Back in the Studio for the First Time in 18 Years". Spin. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  11. ^ "Duster returned after 18 years with (Sandy) Alex G @ Warsaw (pics, video)".
  12. ^ "Duster reunited & played new songs @ Baby's All Right (pics, setlist, video)".
  13. ^ Yoo, Noah (2019-01-15) (15 January 2019). "Duster Announce Complete Box Set, Share Unreleased Track: Listen". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2019-03-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "Duster Release Their First New Single In Two Decades, Listen To "Interstellar Tunnel"". Stereogum. 2019-07-03. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  15. ^ Sodomsky, Sam (2019-10-14). "Duster Announce First New Album in 19 Years". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  16. ^ Gardner, Jeff. "Chill or be Chilled". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
  17. ^ Brodsky, Rachel (2022-03-31) (31 March 2022). "Stream Duster's Surprise New Album Together". stereogum.com. Stereogum. Retrieved 2022-03-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Parton, Clay (May 21, 2022). "bassists and drummers". stereobird.com. Stereobird. Archived from the original on 2022-09-28. Retrieved 2022-09-28.
  19. ^ "You shot up past the moon spacegoat - Helvetia". Bandcamp. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
  20. ^ "Stream Duster's Surprise New Album 'In Dreams'". Stereogum. 2024-08-30. Retrieved 2024-08-30.
  21. ^ Pearis, Bill (August 30, 2024). "Duster surprise release new album "In Dreams" (listen)". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  22. ^ Moreland, Quinn (2019-03-27). "Duster: Capsule Losing Contact Review". pitchfork.com. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2019-03-29.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  23. ^ "Duster". Spotify. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  24. ^ "The Low-Key Legacy Of Duster, Your Favorite Indie Band's Favorite Indie Band". Stereogum. 2018-02-23. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  25. ^ "The World is Finally Ready for Duster, the Droning Space Cadets of Yesteryear".
  26. ^ Richardson, Mark (February 22, 2019). "Back to the Stratosphere: How the Rarest Music in the World Comes Back". The Ringer. Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  27. ^ Enis, Eli (December 18, 2023). "TikTok Has Made Shoegaze Bigger Than Ever". Retrieved October 5, 2024.
  28. ^ "The New Wave Of American Shoegaze". Stereogum. 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
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