Kyle Thomas, performing as King Tuff, is a singer-songwriter from Brattleboro, Vermont. In spring 2020 he set out to make an introspective record reflecting on inspiration and his formative years — what he describes as "an album about love and nature and youth" — drawing on memories of the small hometown where he first developed his songwriting alongside like-minded collaborators.

The resulting album, Smalltown Stardust, marks a spiritual departure from his previous work. Thomas identifies "nature to be my religion," and infused the record with imagery from his Vermont upbringing: local landmarks like Route 91 and Rock River, childhood figures, and natural phenomena. The recording process itself became communal, with housemates Meg Duffy and Sasami Ashworth simultaneously creating their own albums in Thomas's Los Angeles home in 2020.

Ashworth's role proved instrumental, co-writing most of the songs and contributing vocals and arrangements. The album showcases orchestral elements including cello, violin, and saxophone — a marked departure from the guitar-heavy approach of earlier King Tuff records. Thomas notes the evolution reflects personal growth: "I'm a different person now than I was 20 years ago when I first started it."