Random Music Talk XLVIII: Like Tennessee Williams, we wait for The CLICK!

[lazarus]

Ash: Afghan Whigs broke in the early 90's and started on Sub-Pop, then got signed to your favorite label Elektra. They stood out from the grunge pack because of their love for soul music, and would often cover classic and modern R&B in their live shows and on b-sides (The Supremes, TLC, Barry White). Frontman Greg Dulli has a scratchy voice that he often pushes beyond its limits, but he really lays it all on the line and has a great sense of humor.

They always had a better live reputation than for their studio work, but 1993's Gentlemen was a college radio favorite, with very dark and self-critical lyrics about sex and relationships.

For me, their finest hour was Black Love, from 1996. It's a loose concept album inspired by Los Angles film noir and crime fiction, with some love on the run to go along with the murder, revenge, and arson. It has influences that range from The Who to Prince. And it's one of my all-time Top 10.

 

[iron yuppie]

I've been meaning to check out the Whigs for some time. I'll look into Black Love.

 

[bono_212]

Normally I'd listen to Gentlemen and go from there (listened to the title track and loved it), and but since you brought them up, I might just go with your favorite, because it sounds interesting as hell. We'll see in about 20 minutes when I settle into to continuing to read the 2nd or 3rd worst Stephen King novel again.

Seriously, I can't decide if Bag of Bones is better or worse than The Tommyknockers and Wizard and Glass or not, but but it seems to be getting a touch better as I go along...

 

[cobl04]

My debit card is my ATM card. I only use cash, but I keep my cash in my checking account that the debit accesses.

Ah I see. I've got two cards. My savings/ATM card which I've had since I was like 15 and has all my money and the debit card.

 

[LemonMelon]

Thanks for the Whigs info, Laz. I'd heard of them, but no tracks in particular. I'll probably listen to Gentlemen first and if I dig that will listen to Black Love right after. I'm getting better about hearing more albums than one by bands I like.

 

[lazarus]

Just keep in mind that Black Love is a lot funkier than Gentlemen and has more sonic variety. So if the earlier album isn't floating your boat you should still give Black Love a shot.

 

[lazarus]

Also, I loved Wizard & Glass, my favorite of The Dark Tower books

 

[bono_212]

Also, I loved Wizard & Glass, my favorite of The Dark Tower books

I know we've discussed this before, but but I hated reading that book more than anything I've ever in my life read. If I weren't in the middle of a damn 7 book epic at that point, I would have just put it down, but I couldn't, and it ended up taking me two years to push through that novel, never really once loving any of it.

 

[LemonMelon]

I hated reading that book more than anything I've ever in my life read.

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/f189/all-is-u2-breaking-up-discussion-212651.html

 

[bono_212]

it's a tossup, but let's go ahead and rephrase what I said to only include novels.

 

[Imperor]

Oh, just listening to "Freaks and Geeks" on vinyl. Cut the swag with a fuckin' knife.

 

[u2popmofo]

 

[bono_212]

Holy shit, cats, my little U2 video I did like 5 years ago just hit 1 million views sometime in the last 24 hours. Trying to decide if I should be proud. I think I am.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYxQpxD3oQk

 

[cobl04]

"Watch Justin Vernon work out"

Least appealing title ever?

Spoiler

Maybe if it was "watch Big Boi work out"

 

[u2popmofo]

It's actually a nice little video on the positives of even low intensity exercise. That picture really cracks me up though.

 

[cobl04]

I imagine it was the abandoned cover for For Emma, Forever Ago.

 

[lazarus]

Hipster Olympics training?

 

[corianderstem]

There's not a hell of a lot to do in Eau Claire, so I'm willing to give him a pass for lifting weights near a forest.

 

[cobl04]

I have decided I'm going to OKC for a Flaming Lips new years next year.

 

[bono_212]

Now that sounds like fun. I saw Christmas on Mars yesterday. Still not sure what in fuck that was so about, but, uh, yeah. Crazy motherfuckers.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

 

[bono_212]

Just finishing up Black Love. That was some hot shit, definitely going to give Gentlemen a spin sooner, rather than later. Thanks for bringing them up, Laz.

 

[corianderstem]

I quite like this Whigs song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zq32OmDO3Y

 

[LemonMelon]

Hipster Olympics training?

I can totally picture that dude being like "Ungh...Zooey WILL love me...Zooey WILL love me!"

 

[lazarus]

There's not a hell of a lot to do in Eau Claire, so I'm willing to give him a pass for lifting weights near a forest.

Eau con-Claire, ma soeur.

All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth.

0.0

Just finishing up Black Love. That was some hot shit, definitely going to give Gentlemen a spin sooner, rather than later. Thanks for bringing them up, Laz.

Glad you liked it. Faded is one of the best closers ever IMO, fans consider it their Purple Rain.

I quite like this Whigs song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zq32OmDO3Y

Yes! That's the first track off their final album, 1965, which was recorded in New Orleans to great effect. And the final track is titled "The Vampire Lanois", a nice little combo tribute to Danny and NO resident Anne Rice.

 

[IWasBored]

On an unrelated note: Does anyone ever do that thing while typing when you accidentally press the shift button and the up arrow, which highlights a bunch of text, then hit enter (all in a fraction of a second), which erases a bunch of shit you just wrote? I hate that Just did it twice in this reply

our computers at work do that to me all the time. they have these ridiculously small keyboards that anyone who types with more than one finger per hand or has hands larger than that of a 7 year old will hit 2 keys instead of one about 50% of the time. and we won't get into how the tab key is actually half a normal letter key's width rather than normal (never mind larger like a normal keyboard).

 

[IWasBored]

Did any of you know that George Strait has 58 number one hits in his career? It's as though every single that he ever released went to number one.

just one more reason that the world is a very, very fucked up place.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

George Strait has 58 number one singles.

Boy George only had one or two.

If that's not an example of societal homophobia, I don't know what is.

 

[IWasBored]

i can't stand frank turner.

 

[bono_212]

Glad you liked it. Faded is one of the best closers ever IMO, fans consider it their Purple Rain.



Yes! That's the first track off their final album, 1965, which was recorded in New Orleans to great effect. And the final track is titled "The Vampire Lanois", a nice little combo tribute to Danny and NO resident Anne Rice.

Faded and the opener were my favorites.

This track is also good, add to that the title track from Gentlemen, and The Afghan Whigs and I are in good shape.