Dusty Notes is the first Meat Puppets studio album to feature the original trio (Curt and Cris Kirkwood and returning drummer Derrick Bostrom) since 1995's No Joke! Since the band debuted in the early '80s, Curt has continually proven himself to be among the most brilliant songwriters of his generation. Time after time, album after album, he's demonstrated an extraordinary ability to draw upon various roots and rock styles en route to a unique new vision of what the Meat Puppets can be. His latest contributions, especially songs such as "Warranty," "On," "Nine Pins," "Outflow" could be forgotten gems from Nashville, Bakersfield and Laurel Canyon. Dusty Notes also features keyboardist Ron Stabinsky, a jazz-trained virtuoso adept at any style, and Curt's son Elmo, whose old-school rock-guitar grit ideally complements his father's spacier explorations. Intuitive, inspired and overflowing with genuine musicianship, it's the sort of band that transforms what Curt describes as "simple yet engaging" songs into majestic maiden voyages.