The Dust Dive — Claws of Light
Keyboardist Ken Switzer describes the Dust Dive's music as "experimental campfire music", and though the lyrics contain lots of rural references, the music is far from experimental. The only evidence of any experimentation is the faint sounds of the occasional field recording. In reality, the music reminds a bit of Calexico, because of it's laid back vibe (without the horns), with a dash of a slightly less gauzy version of Sparklehorse. Some would also compare this music to Will Oldham (Bonnie "Prince" Billy), again because it's laid back, and also stripped down. The thing is, the common thread between the aforementioned artists is that their songs work within a minimal framework because they're damn good songwriters.
Like Sparklehorse's brilliant It's A Wonderful Life, Claws of Light has the sound of an album which is intended to create a mood of nostalgia, leavened with a sense of loss and regret. While Sparklehorse succeeded, the Dust Dive fall a bit short of the mark. The songs, while warm, and nicely recorded, don't vary much in tempo or structure. The vocals are fine, if a bit plain. But the real issue here is the songwriting. I've listened to this album half a dozen times, yet not a single tune has stuck with me past its running time. The tunes seem consigned to being a piece of a bigger whole, which is fine. There's certainly nothing wrong with concept albums meant to be taken as a whole. It's a laudable, difficult task to undertake, and the Dust Dive shouldn't be criticised for giving it a shot. But Claws of Light simply doesn't enthrall enough along the way to make it a keeper.