The Faint is an indie rock/dance punk band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska in 19… Read Full Bio ↴The Faint is an indie rock/dance punk band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska in 1995 The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer, a reference to Norman Mailer. The band Norman Bailer also included Conor Oberst, of Bright Eyes, with whom The Faint toured in 2005. He left shortly after joining and wasn't let back into the band when he attempted to come back. They recently split from their longtime home Saddle Creek Records to record their latest album "Fasciinatiion" on their own label, "blank.wav".

The band consists of Clark Baechle, Todd Fink (formerly known as Todd Baechle), and Joel Petersen. They signed to Saddle Creek Records and released a few singles, but were unable to establish widespread sales, though they were extremely popular in the Omaha-area. After adding Matt Bowen, The Faint released Media, which established them within a small, national community of fans. While touring, Bowen left and was replaced by Jacob Thiele who helped move the next album, Blank-Wave Arcade, towards a more dance and electronica influenced sound. The album was an underground hit. Partway through the creation of the morose Danse Macabre, The Faint added Dapose, a death metal guitarist formerly of LEAD. Danse Macabre was also a critical and commercial success and has helped to establish a wider fanbase for the band. Their 4th album, released in 2004, is called Wet from Birth.

In 2002 bassist Joel Petersen released the first album from his solo project, Broken Spindles, and he has since released two subsequent albums and had a U.S. tour. Guitarist Dapose also has a side-project, Vverevvolf Grehv, releasing his first album in 2008.

On December 12th, 2005, The Faint announced that they have moved out of The Orifice (a rented out warehouse they used to record Wet from Birth) and into ENAMEL, a 100-year-old building where they recorded the tracks for their next album, Fasciinatiion.

1995 | Sine Sierra (Norman Bailer) | Lumberjack
1998 | Media | CD Saddle Creek [LBJ-21]
1999 | The Faint / Ex-Action Figures (split) | 7» Saddle Creek [LBJ-25]
1999 | Blank-Wave Arcade | LP/CD Saddle Creek [LBJ-29]
2000 | Blank-Wave Arcade Remixes | 12»PD Saddle Creek [LBJ-33]
2001 | Danse Macabre | LP/CD Saddle Creek [LBJ-37]
2001 | Mote / Dust | 12»EP Gold Standard Laboratories [GSL 47]
2001 | Agenda Suicide | CDS Fierce Panda [NING 117]
2003 | Danse Macabre Remixes | 3LP/CD Astralwerks [ASC 83269]
2003 | The Conductor | 12»EP Astralwerks [ASC 83862]
2004 | I Disappear | 12»/CDS Saddle Creek [LBJ-66]
2004 | Wet From Birth | LP/CD Saddle Creek [LBJ-67]
2004 | Desperate Guys Saddle Creek
2008 | The Geeks Were Right Blank.wav
2008 | Fasciinatiion Blank.wav

Dust
The Faint Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The floor moves and it trembles
Old West shakes as it opens up
People are dying and
I know the cause of it all
With so many buried
The dead twitch on crowded roads
Dirt breaks; dust follows,
Cracks in the plains are exposed

(They're restless enclosed)
The quake sets in
(They twitch underground)
The quake sets in
(Dirt starts to shake)
The quake sets in
(It waves through the town)
The quake sets in
That's why the quake sets in
And dust rises again

Wreckage is clearing
The remnants all fade away
No one understands it
The tremors go on unexplained

(They're restless enclosed)
The quake sets in
(They twitch underground)
The quake sets in
(Dirt starts to shake)
The quake sets in
(It waves through the town)
The quake sets in
All still to the great shaking

And dust rises again
Dust rises again

Overall Meaning

The Faint's song Dust portrays a post-apocalyptic world where the ground trembles, and earthquakes have become a regular occurrence. The lyrics describe a town suffering from devastation, where buildings shake, and people are dying. The singer knows the cause of it all, and it is suggested that there are many buried bodies that twitch underground, causing a quake that runs through the town.

The chorus, "the quake sets in," repeats several times, emphasizing the inevitability and unrelenting nature of the earthquakes. The second verse suggests that even after the initial destruction, no one fully comprehends what's going on, and the tremors continue unabated, leaving the world in a state of despair and confusion. The song ends on a somber note, with the dust rising again, an eerie reminder of the impact, both physical and emotional, of the continuous quakes.

The lyrics of "Dust" convey a sense of apocalyptic dread, as if the world is falling apart, and there is no hope of piecing it back together. The constant shaking of the ground and the dead bodies twitching underground speak to a world on the brink of collapse. The Faint creates a dark and unsettling mood, drawing in the listener until they are consumed with a sense of despair.

Line by Line Meaning

The floor moves and it trembles
The ground shakes and quivers

Old West shakes as it opens up
The West is rattled and cracks open

People are dying and
Many individuals pass away because

I know the cause of it all
I am aware of the root of the issue

With so many buried
Since there are numerous people interred

The dead twitch on crowded roads
The deceased stir on busy streets

Dirt breaks; dust follows,
Soil fractures, and debris trails behind

Cracks in the plains are exposed
Fissures in the flatlands are revealed

(They're restless enclosed)
(The deceased are agitated in their tombs)

The quake sets in
The tremor begins

(They twitch underground)
(The corpses convulse below the surface)