Dusted

If you only know Brian Borcherdt from his work with Holy Fuck, Dusted will be a surprise. After years of half steps towards a solo career (one-off gigs, demo-quality recordings), Borcherdt finally makes the big leap as Dusted. His high-pitched croon and warm, slightly overdriven guitar make up the bulk of the record, with subtle flourishes like drums, percussion or just washes of feedback from producer/now full-time band member Leon Taheny popping up throughout. Total Dust is a diverse collection, where dark, brooding numbers like "Pale Light" sit comfortably next to relatively up-beat stompers like "Property Lines," the stark production allowing each track the space to shine. Who knew a guy who makes this much noise with his day job could write songs this beautiful and catchy?