I’ll let you into a little secret: I’ve always had a soft spot for desert rock. Ever since I first heard Kyuss back in the day, the genre has been one of my guilty pleasures. And I call it a guilty pleasure because, let’s be honest, desert rock hasn’t exactly produced an endless parade of classics. Outside of Kyuss and Queens of the Stone Age, you don’t exactly have a murderers’ row of household names.
Don’t get me wrong, there have been plenty of good-to-decent bands that have kept the scene alive, but very few have hit me with that full-on Eureka! moment, the kind of record that boots you in the bollocks and makes you say, “Yes, THIS is why I love this stuff.”
Still, it’s been consistent enough to keep me hooked for over 30 years. Desert rock is one of those genres where even when it doesn’t blow you away, it still scratches a certain itch — more killer than filler, at least by my reckoning. Which brings me to This Side of the Dirt by Dusted Angel.
Now, I’ll get this out of the way upfront: I’m scoring this a 3 out of 5. But it’s a good 3 out of 5. Not the kind of score that says “mediocre, forgettable, never listening again,” but the kind of score that says “solid, enjoyable, worth a spin, but not quite life-changing.” And to be fair, not every record has to be life-changing. Sometimes it’s enough to just be good.
This Side of the Dirt is good. It’s got that sun-baked, fuzzed-out groove that defines the genre, riffs that roll like dust storms across the plains, and a vibe that makes you want to crack a beer, stick your feet up, and lose yourself in the haze. The band clearly know their craft; they’re not phoning it in.
The guitars have bite, the rhythms are solid, and the whole thing feels authentic. You can practically taste the sand and sweat in the air.
Where it falls short, though, is in the “Eureka!” department. While the album is consistent and enjoyable, it never quite crosses over into greatness. There aren’t those jaw-dropping moments that demand replay after replay. It’s more a steady head-nodder than a revelation. And that’s fine — but it’s also why this lands at 3 instead of 4 or 5.
Still, credit where credit’s due: Dusted Angel deliver an album that understands what desert rock is meant to do. It grooves, it drifts, it hypnotises, and it hits that sweet spot between laid-back atmosphere and gritty punch. If you’re already a fan of the genre, you’ll get exactly what you expect here, and you’ll likely enjoy it as much as I did. If you’re looking for the next Kyuss, though, this probably won’t be the record that changes your life.
So yes — This Side of the Dirt is a good 3 out of 5. Solid, enjoyable, and worthy of a listen, even if it doesn’t quite climb to the peaks of the genre. Not every record needs to reinvent the wheel, and sometimes it’s enough just to let those wheels roll on.
This Side of the Dirt is out September 19th via Heavy Psych Sounds.
CHOICE CUT: Seeking the Dawn.
RATING: 3 OUT OF 5
RATING SYSTEM:
- 0: Fucking Shit
- 1: Shit
- 2: Not Bad Shit
- 3: Pretty Good Shit
- 4: Amazing Fucking Shit
- 5: The Best Shit You Will Ever Hear
PRESS SOURCE: Purple Sage PR.
