Assembly Of Dust

Gathering of the Vibes returns to Seaside Park July 31 - August 3, 2008.

What do you get when you cross a stellar line-up, sneaky security and police presence, and ominous weather? The answer is the third annual Mountain Jam. Oh, and I forgot to mention red clay mud. Most of us arrived dry and intact and looking forward to a weekend of great music. I set up shop in the middle of a tent city with good friends on all sides and proceeded with the weekend.

Recollection is the third album from Assembly Of Dust and their songwriting master Reid Genauer. With an honest, simple approach, the band (comprised of veteran players Nate Wilson, Andy Herrick, John Leccese, and Adam Terrell) finds a pleasantly grooving space on this album. Recollection enchants the listener with of a combination of classic sounds: the freewheeling instrumental bounce and earthy vocals reminiscent of Genauer's former band, Strangefolk; the storytelling songwriting style of folk masters like Bob Dylan; and the friendly, genuine sounds of soulful 70's rock and roll, among others.

I had the pleasure of attending All Good Music Festival at Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia in July of 2004. It was a weekend I will remember forever. I got the opportunity to watch as Vince Herman of Leftover Salmon jammed backstage to and with anyone that would play or listen. I also sat and enjoyed my coffee the next morning as Jon Fishman of Phish and Jazz Mandolin Project recounted a trip to Hawaii in which he peered through a healing fountain’s waters giving him momentary 20/20 vision. Needless to say, when I found a copy of the All Good DVD in my mailbox this past fall I was more than anxious to relive moments from one of my favorite festivals of the year.

First with Strangefolk and now with the Assembly of Dust, Reid Genauer has made a career of infusing solid songcraft with a dollop of jam. In a scene whose attention span is just negligibly longer than the wider world of music in general, Genauer’s formula has kept him afloat longer than most acts. The Assembly of Dust frontman owes this longevity to two things: his own songwriting talent and his understanding that a good song often needs nothing but the barest musical foundation.