The Honest Hour

Rate It! Avg: 4.0 (213 ratings)
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Total Tracks: 9   Total Length: 58:15

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Rob O'Connor

eMusic Contributor

04.22.11
Assembly of Dust, The Honest Hour
2004 | Label: Hybrid Recordings

Led by former Strangefolk singer-songwriter Reid Genauer, the Assembly of Dust (who more accurately should be named the Assembly of the University of New Hampshire's Music Majors) balance the virtuosic instrumental impulses of a New England jam band with the modest supportive needs of their songs. No doubt the quintet can play — keyboardist Nathan Wilson, in particular, is poised to step up the intensity with his itchy trigger-fingers — but this live set keeps things economical. The sensitive ruminations Genauer puts forth in his most sincere Paul Simon-esque vocal pitch are never overwhelmed. However, where Simon's sixth sense is clearly urbane, Genauer has hippie dreams rooted in the countryside, where the angst of his "Man with a Plan" and the aspirations of his common-man "Bus Driver" live to find peace. Once content, the band lets loose, stretching out with tasteful underpinnings of folk, blues, jazz and world music as the ten delicately percussive, always empathetic minutes of "Speculator" bear out.

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I love these guys

monimc

I wish they'd been around when I was in college in the 70's. They would have fit right in.

user avatar

Really enjoyable

skrap

A great live album, good energy, well produced, and the group has a great vibe. Good replay value.

user avatar

Great Vibe

Tilehilder

Nice mellow album to ease through this summer heat.

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SPECULATOR!

boiledpeanut

GREAT CD! GREAT BAND! & A KICKASS 11 MINUTE VERSION OF SPECULATOR!

user avatar

Not to good

pocodot

If you don't have anything nice to say... Sounds to me like "Drive By Truckers" on valuim. Every song sounds the same.

user avatar

Good vibe, good salt for the random mix too.

tottinge

I thought this was some great stuff. I found AoD here at eMusic for the first time. I generally find americana bands depressing or dreary. Not so AoD. There is something easygoing about their style, and the guitar work keeps peeking out through the mix to spark my interest. I'm fond of 'Roads', 'Fountain', and 'Paul Henry'. I didn't like 'Bus Driver' quite so well, though it was the teaser free track. I think this album has a place in my eclectic mix. It carries some nice surprises and counterpoint to my heavier jazz and rock favorites. They're especially good neighbors with Govt Mule, Robbin Ford, and Little Feat.

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Wow

vinuthomas

Am I glad that I found this group. AOD keep rocking !

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Not for Punks

Nappy20

Well if you insist your jam band sound like Dave Matthews, Phish, or RatDog then maybe this isn't for you....But, if you can enjoy well crafted original tunes with rock and pop sensibilities, then this may be just for you. Consider Assembly Of Dust a jam band for adults, or adult tastes anyway, meaning the songs are not about teen angst and don't feature ten minute self-indulgent guitar meanderings. And yeah, they do rock....sometimes.

user avatar

Not for Punks

Nappy20

Well if you insist your jam band sound like Dave Matthews, Phish, or RatDog then maybe this isn't for you....But, if you can enjoy well crafted original tunes with rock and pop sensibilities, then this may be just for you. Consider Assembly Of Dust a jam band for adults, or adult tastes anyway, meaning the songs are not about teen angst and don't feature ten minute self-indulgent guitar meanderings. And yeah, they do rock....sometimes.

user avatar

Not for Punks

Nappy20

Well if you insist your jam band sound like Dave Matthews, Phish, or RatDog then maybe this isn't for you....But, if you can enjoy well crafted original tunes with rock and pop sensibilities, then this may be jsut for you. Consider Assembly Of Dust a jam band for adults, or adult tastes anyway, meaning the songs are not about teen angst and don't feature ten minute self-indulgent guitar meanderings. And yeah, they do rock....sometimes.

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