The Screaming Trees have some explaining to do. After teasing fans (both longtime fans and 'Singles' soundtrack buyers) for four years, the Ellensburg, Washington quartet has finally released a new album, 'Dust'.

"It seems like a lot longer than it really is," begins bassist Van Conner. "We released 'Sweet Oblivion' in 1992, then toured for two years..." Conner pauses and relents, "Actually, we did take a long time to make this last record. We took about two years, which really is pretty insane. Basically, we felt like nobody's heart was in it. We had just gotten off the road for the longest tour we had ever done and it just didn't seem right."

After recording a whole record of songs they were only half pleased with, the group decided to start over. "We went home and tried to write more songs and it was only supposed to be a month or two and it turned into four months and then six and suddenly a whole year had gone by... at some point we just kicked in and started writing stuff we liked."

At least the album wasn't slapped together. "We only put ten songs on the album, and those are the best out of several hundred that we wrote."

But the end justifies the means, and 'Dust' is well worth the wait. Produced by George Drakoulias (Black Crowes, Jayhawks, Maria McKee), 'Dust' carries through on the promise that "Nearly Lost You" and 'Sweet Oblivion' only hinted at. Throughout the whole beautiful affair, the Screaming Trees are confident in their ability to spin tales and create intoxicating soundscapes, taking time to revel in a gentle vulnerability, and then allowing the momentum to safely land them back in the thick of more visceral, churning grooves. Mark Lanegan's vocals are deep and velvety, suggesting he's weathered storms far more severe than the day-to-day downpour.

But Conner doesn't want to get caught up in a conversation about the actual meanings behind the lush songs. "Each song is like its own little story, like a book of short stories. Some are fiction, some are true. I think if you give too much away it ruins all the fun of listening to the record. I remember as a little kid listening to a record and not having any idea what the guy looked like or what any of the lyrics were. The mystery of the band is gone now. We're trying to keep a bit of that by not printing lyrics. It's for people to figure out by themselves. I mean, everything else is so shoved in your face nowadays. It's like, give us a break and just try to enjoy the music."

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