Dusk “The Pain of Loneliness (Goes On and On)” 2018. Dirtnap Records. Appleton, WI-based Americana garage-pop. The 7″ single is backed with “Go Easy.” Both songs are upbeat with a touch of country flare – “The Pain of Loneliness” a bit more driving, “Go Easy” is, as advertised, more easy-going – with a super-full sound and Laurel Canyon vibe. We’ve seen Dusk and their sister-band, Tenement, play a few times over the years (mainly up in Appleton at Mile of Music) and I remember the stage being stuffed with musicians, though the liner notes say there’s only 5 members (in person and on the 7″ it feels like a lot more). I think we may have picked up this single from one of those MoM shows.

From Dirtnap’s Bandcamp page: “Dusk was formed in 2014 by Amos Pitsch (bass guitar, vocals) and Colin Wilde (drums) as an informal recording project – mostly of obscure soul covers and country-rock indulgences – and later gained traction as members Julia Blair (described by Pitchfork Media as a smooth country-soul alto), Ryley Crowe (electric guitar, vocals) and Tyler Ditter (electric guitar, vocals) joined the fold at the onset of serious songwriting and recording. They recorded a series of demo recordings and later a 2 song single for Forward Records. They’ve toured America twice thus far; once doubling as the backing band for Tim Buchanan in Oklahoma City-based cosmic-cowboy punk band Cherry Death, and the other time doubling as an extended lineup of Pitsch’s other group, Wisconsin punk band Tenement. “The Pain Of Loneliness (Goes On And On)” was written by Amos Pitsch, and “Go Easy” was written by Tyler Ditter. Both cuts were arranged by the band and recorded mostly live at Crutch Of Memory, Dusk’s home-base and recording studio in Appleton, Wisconsin.”