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THE REVIEW
1996. Era dubbed "post-grunge." Almost at its end (the band's last album would be released two years later and would be the modest "1965"), the band led by the extraordinary Greg Dulli releases "Black Love", a very introspective album with a rather emblematic title ("Black Love," that dark, serious love, anything but sunny…). The atmospheres are very noir, dark, characterized by Dulli's simply unique voice that, depending on the story being told, screams, yells ("Going To Town", "My Enemy") or embraces lighter atmospheres with a much softer vocal tone (as in the very sweet "Step Into The Light" and in "Crime Scene Part One", which opens the album). There's little to nothing of grunge left; everything grunge was taken away by Kurt Cobain with a gunshot, it's pointless to deny it. In the eleven tracks present here, there are absolutely no catchy melodies, no choruses that immediately get stuck in your head. The music, yes, the music gets inside you from the first listen, makes you vibrate as the strings of the wonderful "Night By Candlelight" vibrate, fills you up like the initial keyboards of "Bulletproof" fill the sound, makes you feel emotions like "Faded", the perfect closing track. It's the "Closing Prayer" of this album. Remarkably high-quality pop rock. Emotions traveling inside at no speed limit for 8 long, endless minutes.
2005. Here we are today. December evening. Listening to the Afghan Whigs is like diving into a past almost ten years long. Engaging melodies. Acidic and incisive riffs. Hoarse and aching voice. Exceptionally simple drums that create soundscapes so delicate and so structurally perfect. Emotions that increase our regrets for the disappearance from the scene of this American band. None of their works engenders such emotion from the first to the last track as "Gentlemen". Perfection belongs only to God (or to "Gentlemen", take your pick). But here, believe me, we are on the high floors of Paradise.
"You can believe in me, baby
Can I believe in you?
What you don't know
Can hurt you, child
All the things a mind can
Do to you”
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Summary by Bot
Afghan Whigs' 1996 album Black Love is an introspective and emotionally rich post-grunge work defined by dark, noir atmospheres and Greg Dulli's distinctive voice. The album eschews catchy melodies for deeper emotional resonance, with tracks like 'Night By Candlelight' and the lengthy closing 'Faded' delivering unforgettable moments. The review highlights the album's high-quality pop rock sound and its unique place in the band's discography. Despite the band's later modest releases, Black Love remains a powerful and engaging listen.
The Afghan Whigs
The Afghan Whigs are an American rock band formed in Cincinnati in 1986, known for blending alternative/post-punk guitar rock with strong soul, funk, and R&B influences, with Greg Dulli as a central creative presence.18 Reviews
Other reviews
By Sebastian82
"He has confirmed himself... an excellent interpreter of timeless torch songs, a perfect singer of that thin shadow line dividing day from night."
"The glories of the past might never be reached again, but the overall variety and undeniable value make it a more than dignified work."
