The Afghan Whigs
Congregation

THE REVIEW

"I know your ass is fine, and I'm the only who can say that is mine"

With the brilliant intro of "Her Against Me", Dulli presents us with his new mixed-race offspring, child of a white man, Mr. Alternative Rock, and a black woman, Mrs. Soul, who, by bringing their beloved "Congregation" to light, prove to be good parents.
The songs on the album reflect the intense stylistic journey that Dulli is undergoing, blending multiple genres (as David Byrne did with the Talking Heads in "Fear of Music") and succeeding in his mission perfectly.

The well-crafted guitar riffs denote a long drafting process for the composition of the songs, which are now far from the aggressive impulse of the hurried and more direct "Up In It" and "post-grunge era".
With songs like "I'm Her Slave"; "Conjure Me" or the stunning "This is My Confession", the album sends its assault troops, and when the battle is over, it delights us with pieces like "Tonight"; "Let Me Lie to You" and the untitled track that hides in the twelfth track of the album, but proves to be a song worthy of being placed in the top spots of the tracklist.

The surprise is definitely the cover of "The Temple", a song taken from the famous musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" and, when reinterpreted by the group, gains more emphasis, even if Dulli remains faithful to the original, playing the guitar riffs perfectly and playing with the highs and lows of the song, which puts his vocal endurance to the test.

Although critics preferred "Gentleman" as the best album by the Afghan Whigs, I recommend "Congregation" because albums like this have never been replicated in the history of music, and I therefore consider it worthy of a 5-star rating.