Honestly, we should have seen this turn coming from Dustin a long time ago. He’s never kept his love of country western music that hidden. His solo output has always leaned toward folk and country, but even before that, he was slipping bits of roots music into Thrice songs as early as Illusion of Safety.
But on Desert Dreaming, he’s fully committed to the bit—even in terms of his live show attire. And let’s be clear: if you announce a country record and start sauntering out in cowboy garb, you better be able to back it up. Lucky for everybody, Dustin’s up to the task.