For one of those bands whose frontman and songwriter Greg Dulli claimed “the band would never get back together”. Well it seems like when the band got back together five years ago it may not have been a fleeting reunion. The Afghan Whigs have come up with a timely album that draws on a wide range of styles. From classic 70s stadium rock to the 80s power ballads, all with a very 90s spin on things. This does not sound like another album to milk an established name but a real work of passion putting together some songs that had started to kick around as they have been playing together more and more.

Greg Dulli has said “I like that it’s veiled. It’s not a concept album per se, but as I began to assemble it, I saw an arc and followed it. To me it’s about memory – in particular, how quickly life and memory can blur together.”

The album starts with the avant-garde track ‘Birdland’ with its tranquil start followed by the jazzy stabs ending with long wailing vocals. The second track then picks up the beat with the full band in making all the usual rock noises.

The underlying lyrics and music are mostly dark but not in a heavy way, more in a tougue-in-cheek way. It’s an album brimming with potential singles as every song seems to excel at the right places. I have a feeling this is going to be considered one of their classic albums in the future.

The closing track ‘Into The Floor’ had actually evolved out of an onstage jam they were playing live every night. As people kept coming up and asking why they had not recorded it, they turned it into the perfect closing track on the album.

The album’s production and arrangement are superb but then again it should be, as they have got a lot of help from working with some of the top people in their fields. This is really the return of The Afghan Whigs working with people at the top of their game to produce an outstanding album which has it in spades.
Jonski Mason

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