Lustre - Lustre

Year: 1996
Label: A&M Records
Style: Alt. rock/pop rock
Location: The Warehouse (closed)
Medium: CD
Condition: Used
Dollar diamond or dud: Diamond

Info: A rare Friday/Saturday/Sunday/Monday post from me since I'll typically be absent those days. Excuse the quality, but I've already got one leg out the door.

One of the most bittersweet types of dollar finds is when you come across bands that were supposed to "make it." It's cool that you're able to scoop something notable up for dirt cheap, but rather sad because, like DJ Shadow said, it's humbling. No matter how big you are, how much money is thrown at you, or how good you are, there's a place waiting for you in the dollar bin, along with all the other shooting stars that were promised big things before you. It's then that you realize how fleeting and how luck-based the chance at longevity in the art world truly is and blah blah blah give me the download link already.

Anyway, Lustre were a band from North Carolina, the future hotbed of metalcore. They had a song on a hit soundtrack (Empire Records, which, seemingly, everyone from my generation has a copy of), were getting pushed by a major, and had a video. Then...nothing. Nothing really happened. Of course, even with the slick production job that pushed the vocals way up front, Lustre were never really geared to appeal to the masses. Their brand of hook-laden power pop is uber-attractive and accessible, but wasn't quite mainstream ready, if you know what I mean. What we have here is pretty much a Husker Du-disciple that has taken into account the mini-rock revolutions of shoegazer's din, jangle-pop's hooks, and, of course, the head-in-the-clouds space rock of Hum, Shiner, et. all. The guitars are fucking huge, like the Gin Blossoms backed by an amp army all fuzzed out and turned up to eleven. The major (w)rec(k)ords influence has tried to reign 'em in, but this is still a satisfyingly noisy and ballsy record. The songs, though, are largely hit or miss and if you own Empire Records, you already have the best song, "No Overalls." But, nitpicking aside, this is a minor miracle to find for an uno.

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