Screaming Trees Album: “Dust”

I saw some reviews for this cd on amazon.com, they were mostly in praise, so I just decided to buy it used from Wherehouse. How could anyone not shower this with praise. This cd has some of the best songs I have ever heard. PERIOD. "Dying Days" and "Witness" are just incredible. Of course these guys were one of Seattle's originals. And were considered grunge with the likes of Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden. Although none of those bands sound remotely similar....they seem to have been jumbled into an undefinable genre. The Screaming Trees do not share any similarities with these bands either. The best way to describe them would be "phsychadelic folk rock". It sounds kind of strange. But it makes sense when you hear them. The guitar's sing, the drums pound, and lanegan's voice is infectiously melodic and smooth. All of the elements flow together to create some of the most artistic and pleasing tunes ever made. Of course this album didn't sell that much. Why? I don't know. It is definitely intended for mature audiences. Those who can appreciate old sixties and seventies music like Buffalo Sprinfield and others. There are not any bad songs here, there aren't even any mediocre tunes. Everything is above par, and very good. If you don't have this cd...then your cd collection is worthless. GO BUY IT RIGHT NOW.

When I listen to "Dust" nowadays it really makes me question why the Screaming Trees never received the recognition of their contemporaries. While Alice In Chains, Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam surged into the limelight with passionate grit and angst, The Trees forged their own loyal allegiance through low-key yet equally admirable releases. "Dust" was the last of these releases, and proved to be a glorious swansong and the band's best.

For those unaware of the band's style and sound, I would urge you to try and separate them from their grunge era tag. Do not expect raging distorted guitars and aggressive vocals. Instead Screaming Trees fuse soaring melodies and harmonies, infectious chorus hooks and 60s psychedelic rock into their sound. The result is intriguing and unique, and is given further prowess and individuality by front man Mark Lanegan. Lanegan's wonderful gravely and brooding tone is sumptuous throughout, elevating the band's music.

What makes "Dust" such a special album for me is its consistency. The band was always able to write excellent songs, but always seemed to struggle to recreate this consistently throughout an album. "Sweet Oblivion" touched on the consistency needed, but still contained the odd lacking track that I would always skip. With "Dust" I can simply press play, sit back and enjoy its entirety. There are still standout tracks however, such as the stunning "All I Know" which has the most glorious of chorus harmonies. "Make My Mind" is one of the band's classic songs; showcases great pop sensibility in the main hook. "Dying Days" is perhaps the band's most well crafted song, shifting between subtle slow-burning verses and uplifting choruses. More psychedelic tinges are introduced with the swirling ballad "Traveler" and the intense closer "Gospel Plow".

For fans of the band's earlier releases "Dust" is a must have. It contains their best and most consistent writing, and remains one of my favorite albums from the Seattle era.

I love grunge (AIC, Soundgarden, Nirvana, etc), but had never owned a Screaming Trees CD. They have a unique version of grunge. The vocals are not as raw as the other Seattle bands; they come off more calmly expressive. The music is great and Lanigan's voc's give them an origional groove. Check out the song samples.

I bought this CD used for $3 knowing what a great song "Nearly Lost You" was and figuring their later stuff might be as good. Little did I know that I had stumbled onto one of the best CDs I have heard in years! How were these guys not huge? Buy it and love it!

No words are appropriate enough, when you want to describe "Dust", the final masterpiece by the Seattle-based band, Screaming Trees. It's a real highlight of all-time psychedeia, a collection of wonderful songs like The Beatles' "Revolver", or like Led Zeppelin's fourth album. The Trees were always a totally "old-fashioned" (I use this phrase now as one of the greatest compliments)band who played spaced-out garage-psychedelia from the early years on, which had really nothing in common with the disillusioned whining of the ragged Grunge anti-heroes. The record starts with the "thunderful" "Halo Of Ashes", a powerful sitar-rocker which makes you feel like the lover of the sexiest tantrika. Then comes "All I Know", a pure rock-anthem-Do I have to say anything else? "Look At You" flies you to the secret forest of love,while "Dying Days" brings you colourful dreams about the "ghost town" of your soul. "Make My Mind" is a fantastic dance-rock song like Shocking Blue's "Venus", spiced with enough eroticism to make you jump onto your girlfriend immediatelly. "Sworn And Broken" is the song of harmonic union (despite its melancholic title), but as soon as it ends you take the motley hippi-train of rock 'n' roll with "Witness". "Traveler" is the highlight of highlights: a psychedelic ballad with the most beautiful mellotron-playing I've ever heared, spiced with one of Lanegan's strongest vocal performances. It's a sheer orgy of melodies, undoubtedly the "Stairway To Heaven" of the Trees. "Dime Western" is the march of space-cowboys, which kicks off with an amazing version of Jesus Christ Superstar's starting-riff. The journey ends with "Gospel Plow" and you're finally one with the universe. I know that I wrote almost nothing about the music itself, but I believe that if you love the afore-mentioned moods, there's nothing better than "Dust" in the whole Galaxy. Have a nice trip!