Duster (band)

American indie rock band

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Duster

Duster performing in New York in 2023

Background information
Also known as| Valium Aggelein
Origin| San Jose, California, U.S.
Genres|

* Indie rock
* lo-fi
* slowcore
* space rock revival

Years active|

* 1996-2001
* 2018-present

Labels|

* Up
* The Static Cult
* Skylab Operations
* Mudd Guts
* The Numero Group

Members| Clay Parton
Canaan Dove Amber
Past members| Jason Albertini
Krag Likins
Website| Bandcamp

Duster is an American indie rock band from San Jose, California that was formed in 1996. The group has consisted of multi-instrumentalists Clay Parton, Canaan Dove Amber, and Jason Albertini for most of its history; Albertini left the band in 2022. Duster were closely associated with the burgeoning slowcore and space rock revival movements during the 1990s.

## History[edit]

Formed in 1996 with only Parton and Amber who had previously worked together in bands Mohinder and Calm, they released 2 cassettes in the same year titled On the Dodge and Christmas Dust, respectively, as well as a 7" titled Transmission, Flux on Up Records released in 1997. Later the next year, Jason Albertini joined the band as a drummer and played on three tracks for their debut album, 1998's Stratosphere, and 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.[1][2]

On April 13, 2018, Duster posted via their Instagram page that they are "recording a little bit".[3] Later it was announced that the band's discography would be reissued as the box set Capsule Losing Contact through The Numero Group,[4] which was released on March 22, 2019. 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.[5][6][7]

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."[8]

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.[9] Following the release, Parton announced that Albertini had left Duster to focus on his indie rock project Helvetia,[10] 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.[11]

## Side projects[edit]

The band released 2 albums under the pseudonym Valium Aggelein which were later re-released as a box set in 2020. Parton has also released music under the pseudonyms Eiafuawn (Everything is all fucked up and what not) and the Soviets and has played in bands 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 for Mike Johnson, Built to Spill and Xiu Xiu. Amber has also released an EP under his name and Lonnie Win.[12]

## Musical style[edit]

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.[13][12] To produce this, the band typically recorded on cheap and older recording equipment, such as cassette decks, giving their music a lo-fi quality.[12]

## Members[edit]

* Clay Parton \- instruments, production (1996-2001, 2018–present)
* Canaan Dove Amber \- instruments, production (1996-2001, 2018–present)
* Jason Albertini \- drums, production (1998-2001, 2018–2022)

## Discography[edit]

### Studio albums[edit]

* Stratosphere (1998)
* Contemporary Movement (2000)
* Duster (2019)
* Together (2022)
* Remote Echoes (2023)

### EPs[edit]

* Transmission, Flux (1997)
* Apex, Trance-Like (1998)
* 1975 (1999)

### Compilations[edit]

* Remote Echoes (2023)

### Box Sets[edit]

* Capsule Losing Contact (2019)
* Black Moon (as Valium Aggelein) (2020)
* Moods, Modes (2023)

### Limited releases[edit]

* On the Dodge (1996)
* Christmas Dust (1996)
* Dweller on the Threshold (as Valium Aggelein) (1997)
* Hier kommt der schwartze mond (as Valium Aggelein) (1998)

### SoundCloud-exclusive releases[edit]

* Experimental Dust (2000) (2018)
* On the Air (live KSCU radio set, 1997; released 2019)
* Test Phase, Tape One (1997) (2019)
* Rarities (2001) (2019)

### Singles[edit]

* "What You're Doing to Me" (2019)
* "Copernicus Crater" (2019)
* "Letting Go" (2019)
* "What Are You Waiting For" (2022)

### Videos[edit]

* "Me and the Birds" (2003, Up Records)
* "Interstellar Tunnel" (2019)
* "Copernicus Crater" (2019)
* "Lomo" (2019)
* "Isolation Sounds" (2020)
* "Drifter" (2022)
* "Escalator" (2022)
* "Feel No Joy" (2022)
* "Making Room" (2022)
* "Sad Boys" (2022)
* "New Directions" (2022)

### Compilation appearances[edit]

* Up in Orbit! (1997)
* Up Next (1998)
* Zum Audio, Vol. 2 (1998)

## References[edit]

1. ^ 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)
2. ^ 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)
3. ^ Arcand, Rob. "Duster Are Back in the Studio for the First Time in 18 Years". Spin. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
4. ^ 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)
5. ^ "Duster by Duster". Midheaven Mailorder. Retrieved 2019-10-14.
6. ^ "Duster: Duster". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
7. ^ Duster - Capsule Losing Contact Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-02-08
8. ^ Gardner, Jeff. "Chill or be Chilled". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2019-12-16.
9. ^ 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)
10. ^ Parton, Clay (May 21, 2022). "bassists and drummers". stereobird.com. Stereobird. Retrieved 2022-09-28.[dead link]
11. ^ "You shot up past the moon spacegoat - Helvetia". Bandcamp. Retrieved 2023-01-13.
12. ^ a b c Coney, Brian (2018-08-27) (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.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
13. ^ 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)

## External links[edit]

* Up Records Duster artist page
* The Static Cult Label
* Skylab Operations
* Numero Group Duster Page

* v
* t
* e

Duster

* Jason Albertini
* Canaan Dove Amber
* Clay Parton

Studio albums|

* Stratosphere
* Contemporary Movement
* Duster
* Together
* Remote Echoes

Compilation albums|

* Capsule Losing Contact

Related articles|

* Mohinder
* Helvetia

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States

Artists|

* MusicBrainz

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