Gentlemen

did not finish. i feel it is my right to not finish albums now.

I love the music, but the lyrics are complete trash and give me gross incel vibes

This is a little too aggressive, 90s for me. Sounds like music for guys who yell at their girlfriends in public. Yeah. I hate this.

I remember when these guys were indie darlings and this record was particularly celebrated. The cover always stood out but I was focused on other things and never checked them out until today. Was expecting more of the jangly ironic installectual indie rock I love, not this post grunge wannabe emo. Not my bag at all. I actually turned it off about 20 seconds into the second song when he sang "Cause she wants love, and I still want to fuck." Not on my dime, asshole! Slamming the off button was pure reflex and felt very good to do, like removing a splinter, but after a while I decided I owed it to this 1001 project to go back and listen to the whole album. This is very much not my kind of music. I am actively rooting for harm to befall the protagonist of these songs. I am also a little bit afraid he's going to slip a roofie into my drink. Apparently this is a breakup record? Well, all I can say is I know whose side I'm on. Postscript: Every time my mind wanders and I forget that I am forcing myself to listen to this, I turn it off. Three times now I have had to remind myself I am supposed to play this pile o shite album. I can't do it. I probably made it halfway through before I decided life was too short and no can do I.

Amazing album. Unfortunately it works as the missing link between grunge and shitty bands like Bush and Creed.

The singer's voice kind of ruined it for me.

Sort of a boring parody of a boring generic 90s album. So ethereal that it completely leaves your memory *as it is playing*

3.0 - A killer backing band with explosive drums and great guitar work. Non-chord based and almost absent of melody, which actually helps create some expansive soundscapes. But, sweet Lord do I find that lead singer grating! He sings with joyless, grunty disgust and the lyrics just make him seem like a dumb douchebag. Some of the writing seems lazy, leaning on unneeded swearing, which comes off as pretentious. The only standouts are "Curse Me", which has a female vocalist. Absolute gem. And the last instrumental track (again without the lead vocalist) is great.

Incredibly discomforting, this might the best breakup album ever. Greg Dulli delivers a vocal performance with as much diversity as the genres explored on the record, and the choices in instrumentation (especially guitars and relentless drumming) seem to match his emotional range perfectly. Having never listened to anything by The Afghan Whigs previously, this resonated emotionally with me on the first listen. A rarity, but something that a lot of albums can only aspire to do.

I guess I was aware of the Afghan Whigs but never spent much time paying attention to them. Was surprised to find out this is an album about being sad about having a boner. This is Incel Rock. I didn’t care for it, and “Angst in My Pants” is my favorite Sparks song.

Ugh, with the whining. Eeeeuuuaaahhh. Eeeeuuuaaahhh. 50 mins of this. Even the guitar was whiny. I don't know who this speaks to but I'll bet they are real downers at a party. It's like The Cure at 78 rpm. Or Smashing Pumpkins at 45.

This band has always floated around the periphery of the music I listen to. Oft recommended but seldom listened to. What turned me off in previous listens was the lyrical directness. I always felt like the music begged for something more abstract and circuitous. This listen was quite enveloping though. Something finally clicked.

How have I gone all these years without this band in my life

Sonically, this album is just whatever; middling 90s grunge that could probably play on the radio for a week or two. Lyrically... this album is so disgusting. These lyrics reek of a man who has been sitting in a basement for weeks not showering, mountain dew cans everywhere, stained sheets, dim gross yellow light. He is such a disgusting man, I can see why he was broken up with. These lyrics are truly despicable. No favorite songs.

Wow, it looks like I found another candidate for the surprise of the year (for myself only, of course)! The Afghan Whigs with an album "Gentlemen", described as the best breakup record ever written. I don't know about that, but you can feel the emotions filling the whole room from the moment the first song starts. The album oscillates between an indie rock, quirky melodies to hard rock, full-on grunge tracks. The combination, that falls somewhere in-between those genres perfectly encapsulates the anger and sadness, creating a very atmospheric setup for the whole album. I think that might be one of those records, that doesn't have any fillers - every song fits into the concept, but also stands on its own. One can easily say, that there is 11 singles, each deserving a spot on the list of "greatest songs you musty heard before you die". Vocal on this album doesn't sound very well, the voice of the main vocalist, Greg Dulli, breaks up pretty often, but probably that's on purpose - it also adds more melancholy and desperation for some of the tracks. What's interesting, my two favourite songs from the album are the two where Greg doesn't sing. First one, with similar style of singing, but from a woman, Marcy Mays, "My Curse". I think this song is the culmination of the album - great, hard rock ballad, do not listen when you are going through a breakup yourself, many tears may follow. The second favourite song is the last, instrumental "Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer". It's just an excellent ending to the album filled with emotions, giving you slow and soft release, perfect song to loop forward to the beginning of the record. Easy 5 stars, I'm looking forward to the journey into Afghan Whigs' discography.

Got to the fourth song, Debonair, and called it quits. Jesus was a grating album. Just loud, unmelodious shouting. Didn't add and not even remotely interested in listening to anything else they've done.

Excellent; one more album in the list of reasons why I started this project.

Never heard of this but it's absolutely fucking great. Melodramatic angst-ridden lyrics, dark vibes, just a great breakup album. Sounds way more recent than 1993 as well. Loved it.

Familiarity: 0/10 Notes: wow. Symphonic Grunge, layered emotion, and tight playing. Note to self, check out more Afghan Whigs Real Rating: 8/10

incelcore

Angst lyrics but 90’s rock sound.

I listened to the Afghan Whigs full records as a part of another list I’m taking on and I think this one is the best. Mixture of soul, R&B, post punk and alternative rock to make an interesting genre all their own. Favorite song: Debonair Least favorite song: Fountain and Fairfax

Had never heard of this band and was pleasantly surprised enough that I'll be checking out much more of their catalog, who knew I liked early 90s emo

When this was current, I never listened to it on the hunch it was on the soft rock end of the grunge spectrum. I was right, but missed its peculiarity: it is spiky and noisy, eschews comfortable, verse-chorus-verse for modular, obtuse structures closer to Drive Like Jehu than Pearl Jam, and has imaginative daubs of sound that keep the ear from wandering - the drone on “Now You Know” a good example. All dressing to unattractive matter: sad grunge man has the sex but still has the sad, yet the fit of form to subject is honest.

I was 23 when this album came out, and it got quite a lot of play in my friendship circle. It fit our idea of grown up and sophisticated rock that reflected our supposedly grown up and sophisticated lifestyles. In retrospect, we were living in sqalid share houses, working menial jobs, drinking too much, dabbling in bad drugs, and having terrible relationships that inevitably devolved into public screaming matches and somebody throwing a glass or a punch or a bar stool. And Gentlemen is the perfect soundtrack to that lifestyle. And it too, in retrospect, is squalid and immature. I don't buy the equation that shame and self loathing are moral offsets for bad behaviour, which makes this a little hard to listen to these days, now that I have a few hard won lessons about behaving like a decent human being. That said, Greg Dulli is a compelling front person. He was also terrific and believable as the voice of John Lennon on the Backbeat soundtrack. I always thought of him like darker, meaner Lloyd Cole. The character he plays is reprehensible, but given Dulli's background in film making, I assume there is a fair amount of role playing here. The band is terrific, I particularly find the guitar work lacerating and noisy in a way that reflects the thematic content. I can hear that they understand the feeling of old RnB and soul without slavingly imitating. Checking back, I seem to own quite a few Afghan Whigs albums (including this one). I should play them more often, although they do leave a slightly bad taste in my mouth. 3.5 stars, rounding down for bitter aftertaste.

I like Afghan Hounds. They’re cool. I don’t like Al Qaeda. They’re seriously not cool. This here Afghan Whigs thing is somewhere in between, probably closer to the Al Qaeda end of the spectrum. The vocals are kinda Trent Reznory although a lot more painful and whiny and also the music is just pretty generic alt-rock/grunge stodge. It does have a glint of a power pop feel although I say ‘pop’ loosely because all of the melodies were quite tiresome and a slog and not even remotely catchy.

Blah. Wasn’t bad enough to be a one but didn’t hold my attention and I kept n ou ting how many more songs until it was over.

A meeting of conflict and lassitude, laziness and propulsion. Great in theory, and a handful of others have pulled it off. But not these well-intentioned chaps.

Radiohead with all of the pretension but none of the talent. Shitty lyrics, tacky song names, Dad Rock at its most uninteresting.

Am I going crazy, or is this genuinely terrible rock music? This sounds like a band that would place 3rd in a battle of the bands at your worst local rock venue. It's sorta grunge and it's sorta emo-ish post-hardcore, but it's played REALLY badly. Every song sounds a little off beat and a little out of tune, and not in an intentional way. This band just has a horrible sense of musical feel. And I get there's a "concept" for the album where the lead singer is (presumably) playing the role of a macho jerk, but it sounds like a pioneering influence on the worst butt rock of the 2000s, so the irony/satire is a little lost on me. Jesus Lizard, Shellac, Jawbreaker, Rites of Spring, At the Drive-In...pick any album from any of these bands and put it on the list instead of this.

Rating: 0.5 God damn it this is so bad. This is like if Jars of Clay or early Creed sung top comments from some poetry subreddit instead of singing about Jesus. I wish this band to be crushed by a shipping container full of fedoras and tiny vests. Read their Spotify bio to be subjected to DEFCON 1 corniness instantly.

#3 was so bad I found myself adjusting the sound settings in my car thinking there was something wrong with them

The best lines start as post-punk on the bass and develop with the rest over the length of the cycle. The vocal and volume switch-up works, doesn't break through pervading grime.

Forgot how good the Afghan Whigs are. While grunge was taking over, this album is a nice alternative sound to what would become the ALTERNATIVE sound.

I enjoyed this album.

The cover is a 10/10

Musically, right up my alley. Lyrically, not as much. Overall: not bad, not great.

No. 73/1001 If I Were Going 4/5 Gentlemen 3/5 Be Sweet 3/5 Debonair 4/5 When We Two Parted 4/5 Fountain And Fairfax 3/5 What Jail Is Like 3/5 My Curse 3/5 Now You Know 4/5 I Keep Coming Back 3/5 Brother Woodrow 3/5 Average: 3,36 Musically I liked this, the singers voice really showed some weaknesses on some songs.

Raw and emotional. Lyrically repugnant. Don’t love the vocals but subjectively appropriate for the style/message. I don’t like it, but I COULD under the right circumstances. Going middle of the road rating, but can’t fault the whole package.

The songs themselves are fine/good, if repetitive, but the lyrics are atrocious. I don't want to spend a second with this dude.

I mean the lyrics were just not it

The music isn't bad, although it is generic, slightly boring, early 90s rock. The lyrics and singing are terrible. I'd break up with him too.

More from the "trendy '90s bands I have never heard" file. First impressions were quite poor, with music and vocals akin to a slightly-better Jane's Addiction; not a compliment. Grew on me a bit but still very much the kind of thing that would give greasy journalists a hard-on, standing proudly up against the stark backdrop of the real world and its muted indifference. Not sure where the "harrowing lyrics" reputation comes from, reading them it's all quite weak tea, perhaps a bit much for the soft indie lads of the time? If anything, this seems a major antecedent to emo and all its futile whining.

If I could just exchange every whiney 90s "alt-rock" band on this list for one of the countless black artists that have been omitted i would be having a much better time. Gonna go listen to some Chuck Berry to wash the taste of this out of my mouth.

I dated someone like this. That’s not a compliment.

embarrassing

If this is considered their best album I'd hate to hear their worst

Dude I'm from Cincinnati and even I don't like The Afghan Wigs.

Chaos and angst without emotions are just noise. Also, wtf is that cover art?

Wow this sucks. Inexcusably unlistenable. Bar for bar might be my least favorite album on this list so far, 750 something albums in. The singers voice sits in the infamous Smashing Pumpkins register, but instead of whimsical melancholy nonsense it’s often lyrics that are hard to listen to. Songs about breathing in another girls mouth, whining about getting hammered and needing to sleep with a girl he’s encountered. I held out some level of hope that things could change course through the first few songs until “Be Sweet” came on. No, this isn’t self-aware track about a bad man and a relationship. It’s just annoying, it’s trite, it’s awful. The rest of the album was dull at best but often times grating on the ears. Thank god there’s an interesting new Underscores album to cleanse away this mess. 1/5 from the bottom of my heart

histrionic vocals, embarassing lyrics, straight-ahead boring instrumentation? where do i sign!

Divorced dad rock and not the good kind.

incel rock anthem. half-decent grunge instrumentation, but with the most whiny and angsty vocals i've heard in a minute that are absolutely dripping with misogyny. every single track is expressing entitlement towards woman as sexual objects, plain and simple. "you think i'm scared of girls, well maybe, but i'm not afraid of you" is a real line. cartoonishly bad songwriting. this album is described as being "about a toxic relationship" yeah it's about a guy who is transparently an abusive slimey gross piece of shit who should get a job and stay away from her. the most surprising part about this is when i googled "greg dulli politics" and found an article from 2022 where he (the lead vocalist and songwriter) described himself as a socialist. growth, i guess.

Y'know I think the world does not need another breakup album from the perspective of a man about a "toxic" breakup that is, in fact, just a collection of songs where a dude whines about wanting to fuck. Sounds like the type of album from a guy who goes through a bad breakup and then starts obnoxiously talking to his coworkers about how he has been "blackpilled" and how women suck. I'm gonna go now and listen to yesterday's album instead.

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuucks. This sounds like the opening band at shows in the 90's. It's awful, and you wish they'd shut up and get off stage so you can see the headliner.

this album is trying way too hard to be something it’s not and it’s both lyrically and vocally trash. i thought the guitar might be able to save it in a few places but, i was wrong. i agree with the people who say this is incel rock and also with the person who said it’s for guys who yell at their girlfriends in public

Pretty terrible, both lyrically and musically. This guy sounds like a shitty boyfriend.

I didn't like this. The world is far too full of this type of thing. Who does this guy think he is? Get lost!

Weird ass album with egotistical lyrics

The lyrics are just not for me. I mean ethically, how it sounds etc...

Ugh. First time in a while I've felt like telling the singer to just get over it.

Gentlemen This isn’t completely awful, but it is utterly boring, a tiresome, self important voice singing bad lyrics over tedious, mediocre 90s alt rock. Nothing stood out, or seemed notable in any positive way, the sense of dullness is just too powerful, and there is no reason to ever listen again. And that really is all I can muster. 🚹 Playlist submission: Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer as thankfully it’s an instrumental.

I truly hated every minute of this. The music was alright but nothing special. I just hated his singing and lyrics. I can't point to anything more specific than that, I just felt super skeeved out the whole time. I would never listen to this again - 1 star.

The 90s really were a crap decade for original music. Listened to this yesterday, must be forgettable as now can’t even recall what they sounded like.

Greg Dulli, blessed with one of the most punchable faces in rock, couldn't find a melody if its location was programmed into a fucking GPS. The vocal performances ping-pong back and forth between two modes: faux-sinister whispering and tuneless scream-shouting, in a failed attempt to emote their way past the total lack of lyrical substance. And it's made all the worse by the way this album radiates pretentiousness. I'm down with 90s indie and alt-rock, but this is some awful shit. Ruined a beautiful morning walk.

Aggressively 90s in a derogatory way.

The cover is really gross. The music is not good to meh. I could tell the album was over when a much better Pixies song came on. 1.

This band have been at the periphery of my music listening life for over 30 years. I just never got around to listening to them but I figured they must be indie/alternative legends because their name was always there, persistently gnawing away at my consciousness to actually give them a listen. Bad lyrics, bad vocals, ok music. Probably the worst album I've listened to on here and there's been some BAD ones.

Almost gave this a 2 due to some decent music here and there. But this really deserved the 1

Ugh. Hated everything about this but also was bored, which is quite a trick. I am kind of curious how the ratings break down by gender.

What's with this cover? It clearly is a meant to look like an after-sex movie shot but with children. Sorry, no can do. Won't listen. Nope.

one of the best-written breakup albums of all time? have they not heard of Fleetwood Mac or, actually, countless other artists? I waited for the joke, It never did arrive sums up this album perfectly

This album feels like hiding in a locked room from a man that wants to hit me

I really tried. The music isn't so bad. The lead singer is terrible. Like, I was thinking that this had to be a joke.

This is the soundtrack to a middle school breakup, and I mean that in the worst way possible. I don't mean to slam dunk on so many of these albums, but, Christ, there are so many of these that don't deserve to be anywhere near the discussion of this list. I hate the cringey, half-deep lyrics that are half-sung mixed with an instrumentation that sounds like complete dogshit. This album is incredibly pretentious with absolutely no reason to be. I am not a huge fan of grunge or 90's alternative, but I do enjoy a good Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, MBV, and even Hole. I get the whole meaning of a toxic relationship cycle that this album goes through, but if I want to listen about the ins and outs of love gone bad, I will listen to Rumours or Souvlaki or something like that.

# An In-Depth Review of The Afghan Whigs' *Gentlemen* Released on October 5, 1993, *Gentlemen* is the fourth studio album by Cincinnati rock band The Afghan Whigs and their major-label debut for Elektra Records . In an era saturated with the murky, self-pitying angst of grunge, *Gentlemen* arrived as something far more dangerous: a surgically precise, morally complex, and unflinchingly adult dissection of a toxic relationship. Drenched in soul music and literary self-loathing, it remains a disturbing, brilliant, and timeless masterpiece. ### 1. Themes: The Toxic Masquerade The central theme of *Gentlemen* is the end of a relationship, but not as a simple "boy loses girl" narrative. Instead, frontman Greg Dulli constructs a troubling song cycle that explores the dark psychology of the "90s male"—a character who is equal parts charming predator and pathetic wreck . - **Misogyny vs. Self-Loathing:** Dulli famously opens the album by murmuring, "What should I tell her? She’s going to ask," before immediately disarming the listener with lines like "Ladies, let me tell you about myself—I got a dick for a brain" on "Be Sweet" . Throughout the record, he blurs the line between abuser and victim. He is simultaneously the man who "still wants to fuck" when "she wants love" and the broken soul who "fell apart" on "Debonair" . - **Addiction as Metaphor:** The language of narcotics is woven into the fabric of heartbreak. On "What Jail Is Like," he equates love to imprisonment, confessing, "We shared a needle once or twice," while "Fountain and Fairfax" finds him begging to "drink" and "tie off" to escape the stench of a lover's lies . - **The Catholic Guilt:** There is a heavy, cinematic sense of sin and retribution. On "Debonair," Dulli sings, "Tonight I go to Hell for what I've done to you," suggesting that the physical act of love (or lust) is an act of damnation . Notably, the album avoids redemption. The 1992 cover EP *Uptown Avondale* foreshadowed this sound by covering Al Green and The Supremes, translating Motown’s melodic sweetness into a framework of bitter reality . ### 2. Lyrics: The Unreliable Narrator Dulli’s lyrics are the star of the show. Unlike the abstract imagery of Kurt Cobain or the macho posturing of his hard rock peers, Dulli writes in stark, conversational, and highly cinematic snapshots. - **Brutal Honesty:** Lines like "It’s Tuesday now, I hear him breathing inside of her" on "Fountain and Fairfax" are uncomfortably specific . - **The Female Perspective:** A crucial moment is the song "My Curse," sung not by Dulli but by Scrawl’s Marcy Mays. Shifting the vocalist to a woman provides a devastating counterpoint to Dulli’s male rage, suggesting domestic violence and emotional imprisonment from the other side of the bed . - **Villainy:** Dulli admitted to taking inspiration from Francis Ford Coppola’s *One from the Heart*, specifically the "heel" character you can’t help but empathize with . The listener is left wondering if Dulli is confessing his sins or performing them for an audience. ### 3. Music & Production: Soul Cinema Where *Gentlemen* transcends its peers is in its sonic architecture. Produced by Greg Dulli and recorded at Ardent Studios in Memphis, the album is steeped in the lineage of Stax and Hi Records, yet filtered through the noise of alternative rock . - **The "Memphis" Sound:** The rhythm section often swings with a funky, lean groove rather than a plodding grunge thud. Tracks like "Debonair" attempt to fuse The Jackson 5’s "I Want You Back" with the eerie noir jazz of *Twin Peaks* . This results in a "tightly wound R&B punch" that grooves as much as it rocks . - **Dynamics and Texture:** The band masterfully shifts between quiet and loud. "When We Two Parted" utilizes sad, chiming country guitars over a crawling rhythm, while "What Jail Is Like" builds from piano and feedback into an explosive, cathartic chorus . - **The "Cinematic" Approach:** The credits famously note the album was "Shot on Location" at Ardent . Dulli used cocaine binges to record the vocals, resulting in a raw, frayed-edge intensity that mixing engineer Jeff Powell captured perfectly . - **Instrumentation:** Unlike the guitar/bass/drum trio standard, the album uses subtle string arrangements on "Fountain and Fairfax" and prominent piano motifs, giving it a widescreen scope . ### 4. Influence Though it was largely ignored by commercial radio (it never charted on the Billboard 200) , *Gentlemen* became a sacred text for a specific kind of rock fan. It paved the way for the "sad boy" era of indie rock before it existed, specifically influencing bands like The National and contemporaries like Mark Lanegan. By merging hip-hop attitude (the swagger) with alt-rock noise and classic R&B structure, the Whigs predicted the genre-fluid approach that bands like TV on the Radio would later perfect. It has been the subject of a 33⅓ book series volume, cementing its status as an essential text in rock history . ### 5. Pros and Cons | **Pros (The Mastery)** | **Cons (The Friction)** | | :--- | :--- | | **Greg Dulli’s Vocals:** A career-best performance that balances a silky croon with a terrifying snarl . | **Polarizing Lyrical Content:** The unapologetic misogyny (even if self-aware) can be a barrier. Lines like "I got a dick for a brain" might feel sophomoric or genuinely offensive to some listeners . | | **Musical Risk:** The fusion of gritty grunge guitars with smooth, Memphis-style R&B remains unique and defies aging . | **Lack of Hit Singles:** There are no "anthems." The album is designed as a 48-minute slow burn, not a collection of radio-friendly hooks. | | **Emotional Impact:** "My Curse" and "What Jail Is Like" deliver a visceral gut-punch few albums can match. | **The Grimness:** This is not a "fun" listen. The relentless theme of emotional self-evisceration can be exhausting if you are not in the right headspace. | | **Production:** The "cinematic" mixing by Jeff Powell gives the album a dense, atmospheric quality that rewards good headphones . | **Narrative Fatigue:** Some critics argue the character never evolves; you are trapped in the same toxic loop for the entire runtime, which, while intentional, can feel repetitive . | ### Verdict *Gentlemen* is not an album you casually "enjoy"; it is an experience you survive. It is the sound of a man setting fire to his house and locking himself inside just to feel the heat. It is sleazy, literate, violent, and tender all at once. If you are looking for comforting nostalgia, look elsewhere. But if you want a stark, brilliant, and uncomfortable look into the mirror of toxic masculinity and heartbreak, *Gentlemen* remains an unassailable classic.

A really good grungey sound that resonated with me a lot.

definitely the most similar to my taste so far, really fantastic album. instrumental wasn't groundbreaking, but it still made it to my playlist (9.3/10)

One of those bands I listened to some back in the 90s and totally forgot about. Not sure why because this album is great. 4/5

A very pleasant surprise. Yet another band (I’ve discovered so many through this project) that I’d heard of before, but whose albums I’d never actually listened to. Now I’ve had the chance, and they didn’t disappoint I really enjoyed it - 5 stars

Masterpiece

Why did no one tell me about The Afghan Wings.

Giving this an extremely rare 5 star for an album I’ve never heard before because it was exactly what I like

Both raw and complex, sounds incredible and hits deep. Really inspiring.

Never heard the Afghan Whigs before, based on this they deserve a fast bigger billing than they get (unless I'm just out the loop). Very 90s American alt rock at face value but much more interesting than that. The album has a dark, repetitive, claustrophobic feeling and must be a blueprint for Cursive's Domestica which has a very similar theme. I thought the first three quarters was definitely a 5, gentleman, debonair, fountain and Fairfax all great. Last part eased off a bit but this is still a 4.5. Need to hear more Afghan Whigs.

Miserable, hypnotic, enthralling. If I Were Going, Gentlemen, Debonair, and Fountain and Fairfax were my favourite tracks. Sometimes, quite a lot of the time, I'm really into miserable music. Well-constructed, just downbeat. Horrible album cover though.

Absolutely desperate stuff, strains of Chris Cornell and Lou Reed and Billy Corgan set to some sick riffs. Favorite artist I never heard of since Thin Lizzy. +0.5 each for female vocals on The Curse and cello on Closing Prayer.

This album is up my alley 👍

While listening to this album, I kept overhearing other noises through my headphones: birdsong, construction equipment, and what sounded like a helicopter, though I could not see one. This album is evil. I'm tempted to leave my review at that one sentence. When I say it's evil, I mean it as a high compliment: Gentlemen explored a toxic, abusive relationship powered by manipulative behavior and substance abuse, from the point of view of the abusive partner. Listening to the state of mind expressed in the lyrics is uncomfortable and off-putting in an artistically perfect way, and the instrumentation itself is dark and aggressive to match. I have a particular fondness for art which explores the worst inner thoughts and impulses of people; in terms of musicians, one of my favorite artists of the sort is Alex Cameron, but where he uses these caricatures with a satirical, tongue-in-cheek tone, The Afghan Whigs push it to a raw and painful place which is so viscerally upsetting I felt obliged to give my fellow listeners a trigger warning just in case. This is a compelling artistic statement with ear-catching hooks on every song, with a seamless flow of narrative and energy from beginning to end; I went into this album completely blind, and I came out a huge fan. What an emotionally potent piece of art. Highlights: If I Were Going, Gentlemen, Be Sweet, Debonair, When We Two Parted, Fountain and Fairfax, What Jail Is Like, My Curse, Now You Know, I Keep Coming Back, Brother Woodrow / Closing Prayer

A really dark record that is criminally overlooked. Really pleasantly surprised to find it on this list. Be Sweet has one of the best payoffs I can think of.

Really cool

if i inflict the pain then baby only i can comfort you, yeah

I really like this Hard Alternative Rock. Gives me a little bit of Nirvana vibes but not 100%. Every song is a blast, and I adore the fact that they added an instrumental track for the outro. Crazy I had never heard of these before.

Loved this one!! One song I wasn’t a huge fan of which coincidentally is according to Google their most well known song so lol. The vocals at times weren’t my favorite but mostly were great and I LOVED the instrumentals!! Added a few of the songs to my main playlist

Solid member of the 90s underrated albums hall of fame club. Greg and company made history with this tormented work. The production is flawless and the sequencing delicious. Always in the mood for Gentlemen

Media literacy is truly dead given the amount of people who hear this album and think it’s somehow celebrating the lyrical content? The main character of the album is a piece of shit. He’s like a child, hence the album cover. This album makes me deeply uncomfortable. I hate the main character, he’s a pig, he says horrible things. And it’s great. It actually elicits an emotional response while also sounding catchy.

The opening song sets an immaculate tone and the rest keeps up with that energy

Not really properly listened to this album before (or if I did in the day I can't remember it now), really great album, not mind blowing but I do really like The Afghan Wigs sound in general, a 4.5 so bumping to ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐, solid grunge era album

I LOVED it

This is why I like this project, such a nice hidden gem