Format: limited 'gold hills' gold nugget vinyl LP + insert in spot-varnished sleeve
Record Label: Numero Group US
Cat Number: NUM304LPC2
Released: 25th April 2024
Tracklist:
Side A
Create the Scene
Days Rewinding
Gold Hills
Runaway
No Way
Side B
Turn On
Everything Is All In Place
Wander Off
Ghost Girls
Take Off Your Face
Traces
Tracked in the decade after Duster went on hiatus, Canaan Amber's debut solo EP 'CA' demonstrates the California-born guitarist's affection for San Francisco jangle and Santa Cruz surf. Crawling at a banana slug's pace, Canaan wraps the loneliest one-string guitar solos around a cluster of hollow rhythms and ghostly mumbles. The original 2012 five-song CD has been expanded to include six other demos plundered from the prolific songwriter's vault. More Wolf Moon than Black Moon, 'CA' continues to explore and map the hidden galaxies that make up the Duster universe.
(Wanted to also include this interesting review (below) made by Oli Saunders on 15th November 2010 which was for the original 5 song EP [not this version].)
"This EP is remarkable and really displays the potential that this genre has, despite the general style being in existence for well over ten years now. I am convinced that one day this type of music will become semi-popular. And I also think that a lot of people on Collective would be into this. Featuring Dove Amber, who played in Duster, the influence of his previous band is there to be seen, but Duster’s experimental slowcore style is contrasted with a kind of happy shoegazey pop feel. Some elements of bands such as The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart perhaps? I find it difficult to pin down. However, the result is something quite beautiful and uplifting to an extent.
The first and second songs float along in a laid back fashion with a positive feel. The third song is similar but without vocals. The fourth has a slightly melancholic feel but is perhaps the strongest track. Very repetitive and minimalistic but Dove’s vocals are fantastic and carry the track through. The fifth and final track is the most experimental – again it’s instrumental but the band make it work – a nice outro for the EP.
I apologise for making so many Duster references in this review, but members’ proceeding bands are always going to get compared with them especially when they each continue to push the sound forward that Duster pioneered. If you listen to anything that you might consider to be lo-fi indie or shoegaze then I highly recommend this. The packaging is sensational too."