Dust Mice - Earth III Review ⚡️ - More Fuzz Stoner Rock Blog

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Come and hop on the choom wagon, we're all friends here! :)

It’s time to have some good ol’ fun with this space-garage rock band who hails from the US of A.
They have 2 EP’s in their bag and this is their debut album called Earth III which is full of catchy guitars & saxophone melodies.
And if Sci-Fi is your thing then be ready for some cool lyrical themes like wizard cults, suicidal androids, and the burden of being isolated in a spaceship with a ravaging virus.
Some dark themes wrapped in a feel-good type of sound.

So let’s jump in and enjoy the ride!

How is the sound?

First thing that comes to mind when the dank Choom Wagon begins is the obvious main influence.
The rhythm guitar and saxophone fly along with each other with the kind of super catchy melodies you only hear in the classic era of Hawkwind.
And the synth sounds are sprinkled around for an extra dose of spaciness when needed.
The drum style really reminds me of the style found in post-punk, it’s not that heavy but it drives the music forward and gives it a good foundation for the rest of the band.

When we get to Hepatitis X they slow down the pace and the atmosphere is also a bit darker so it really complements the post-punk influence.
They really thought about changing things up so the album feels varied and now they will surprise you with a cover of Solitude by Black Sabbath.
Taking a calm acoustic song and remaking it into a space rock tune is definitely a bold move.
And to be honest I don’t hear many traces of the original except the lyrics and a few bass lines but their interpretation still rocks big time.

And if you’re into DC Comics then you gonna raise an eye-brow to the song Crisis On Infinite Earths.
Here they use all their instruments in a frenetic way while droning away and the synth really reminds me of On The Run by Pink Floyd and it actually feels like it could be a cover more so than on Solitude.

We’re coming towards the end and Desert Bus is a true foot-stomper where the guitar solos have a heavy metal feel, and then the Mountain Wizards come with a high-energy space rocker.
The Hawkwind vibe is ever-present and Dust Mice finish it off in their most psychedelic way.

Why is this album worth listening to?

Because it’s a fun space rock album that sounds like the glory days of the mighty Hawkwind!
It’s always nice with a feel-good album and this is an excellent debut!

In what situation you should listen to this album?

At your backyard barbecue party if you’re not in a complete lockdown.
On road trips away from the city.
Or while chilling at home on your couch with a beer or two.

Something particular to note?

The post-punk drum style made me think of The Cure’s very own Boris Williams and I recommend this amazing live clip.
The more intense the song gets, you’re gonna see what I mean and it’s also one of my all-time favorite live renditions of a song. 🙂