Dave Longstreth released the band’s first album ‘The Graceful Fallen Mango’ in 2002 under his own name. The record contains 15 tracks such as ‘Follow Me Not if You Still care,’ ‘ Lay Down Restless Bones’ and ‘At The End of the Day.’ The album was all recorded in Longstreth’s bedroom, and the individual played all musical instruments featured on the album. This release, although it was not a direct release of Dirty Projectors, allowed Longstreth to get his name out there and to demonstrate his musical style. The first release under the name of Dirty Projectors was the album ‘The Glad Fact,’ released under Western Vinyl Records. The album once again contains fifteen tracks, such as ‘Like Fake Blood in Crisp October,’ ‘The Highway is a Foggy Knife’ and ‘Boredom is a Product.’ The album did well amongst critics, earning four out of five stars from webzine AllMusic, as well as eight and one half stars out of ten from Pitchfork Media.
After playing shows to support the release of ‘The Glad Fact,’ Dirty Projectors released ‘The Getty Address’ in 2005. The album contains thirteen tracks, and is a musical homage to Don Henley. The instruments on the album were performed by over twenty musicians, giving the album an intricate and deep sound. Tracks such as ‘I Sit on the Ridge at Dusk,’ ‘Tour Along the Potomac’ and ‘Finches’ Song at Oceanic Parking Lot’ are some of the tracks available on this album. The album once again did relatively well amonst critics, earning just over an eight out of ten stars from Pitchfork Media.
Two years later, the band released yet another album. ‘Rise Above’ was perhaps one of the most interesting releases from Dirty Projectors, as it was an attempt at re-creating all songs from Black Flag’s album ‘Damaged’ without hearing them for over ten years. Critics praised the album and its creativity. Rockfeedback webzine gave the album a full rating of five out of five stars, and Tiny Mix Tapes webzine gave the album an impressive four and one half out of five stars for the members’ efforts.
