Gentlemen

New song starts, hey, this is pretty good. Halfway through it, wtf happened? Repeat x album.

This is ok. Another “Why is this on this list?” album.

Competent

I’ve always meant to check this band out. Neat

I didn’t like this record (or band) then, and I don’t like it (them) now. Plodding self-important misery. “Debonair” starts off promisingly enough, but then falls into the same typical crap.

This sounds really good, but the lyrics are kinda trash.

I absolutely adore the instrumentation on this album. There's some fantastic '90s grunge and alt-rock vibes throughout. However, the lyrics and vocals are so far off the mark for me that it mars the entire experience. When the female vocalist performs I love it, top-tier stuff, but the main vocalist lets down the side.

Amazing to hear the origin of kings of Leon music

Musically I like this, but I'm not so sure about the vocals. His voice has a bit of the same quality that J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. has, that vocal style that sounds like he's constipated. Aside from that though this is pretty good. 3 stars.

angsty 90's horseshit

Please Rise for the Incel national anthem 🫡 Thing is the instrumentation is REALLY good and this shows in songs like Gentlemen and Be Sweet and then like you listen to what he's singing about and it's pretty silly and honestly lame. But there are good songs here, again the two I mentioned I quite liked, it's just a clash of the music sounding excellent the singer sounding pretty shit which evens it out, shame.

this is not good

Just the worst sounding voice

If I Were Going- Already sounds like the most 90s album ever 👍 Gentlemen- Vocals aren’t doing much for me here, just feels a bit put on Be Sweet- the way this is quite charming except the first part LOL 👍 Debonair- this is whatever, my guy seems quite unhinged When We Two Parted- prefer the Byron poem Fountain and Fairfax- I do like instrumental, wish this guy would stop singing tho 👍 What Jail Is Like- this song just kinda sucks My Curse- yay a woman 👍 Now you Know- boring and slightly disgusting metaphor I Keep Coming Back- least convincing take me back song ever?? Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer- inspiration study type music Whew we got through it in one go 2/5

2/5 Why and how do singers like this get famous and on a must listen to before you die list? The music sounds ok, but then he starts screeching. When we two parted had kind of interesting lyrics that gave me the impression of a codependent/toxic relationship. I liked the rhythms in Fountain and Fairfax. I really liked Brother Woodrow, but maybe that's cause it was instrumental? Overall, not my bag.

This album felt wholly unremarkable to me. Generic 90s rock and nothing that hooked me in or offended me. Middle of the road stuff.

Afghan wigs :)

Meh.

Meh. I was excited because of the song by The National, but it’s kind of generic alt rock or maybe it’s not. 2/5

I could feel the author's hatred, pain and disgust while listening. Probably that's why I wanted this to end so badly. All around me were negative feelings... I'm giving it 3 out of 5 because the artist can convey feelings through their art, however, their art style isn't unique, and I don't appreciate the vocals.

Sure, it can play in the background, I don't mind

Another throwback to the grunge era. I had this album in college and do remember liking Debonair and a few other tracks. Relistening 30 (!) years on, I'm struck by how good the instruments still sound and how bad the vocals are. Apparently Greg Dulli played John Lennon in "Backbeat", which sounds crazy to me. How?? Anyway, the sound is its own, it wasn't a copy of Nirvana or the other big grunge bands of the time, and it does still work.

Exuberant, but largely uninteresting. Or maybe I’m uninterested.

The rhythm guitars are great. Very melodic with lots of maj7 and 9 chords etc. Probably influential to late 90s/early 2000s emo like Sunny Day Real Estate and the Get Up Kids. Not all songs are very interesting. The singing is a little flat at times. I'm not sure about the lyrics. Favorite song by far: Debonair.

There are plenty of bands that sound like this but the Whigs do it with a bit more oomph than most

Going to need more listens to get a definitive impression

A little too sad for me today.

This album falls well into a space of music that I don't mind, but really doesn't do anything for me. Only thing that really stood out was how terrible the vocals were on I Keep Coming Back. For me this is a very forgettable album. Part of that could be the fact that I was focused more on work than the music, but I think a lot of this just ran together and it played a lot longer than I would have preferred. 2 / 5

En osaa päättää, häiritsikö grunge vai tekikö se tästä paremman. Harmillisesti b-puoli meni hönkäilyvalitukseksi, alkupuolella oli parempaa raskautta

Kuulostaa orgaanisen ysärirockin luomien puitteiden vuoksi paremmalta kuin soundimusiikki yleensä. Mikä ei muuta sitä tosiasiaa, että tämä on soundimusiikkia.

Could not hear any groundbreaking performance or even a few sounds/notes...

Bleak and depressing. Not bad per se, but I did not like it.

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

Don't hate the concept, but not digging the execution.

The music is pleasant enough, but the lyrics. Ugh.

Tough and cool and kinetic. Ragged and a little punky and a little surfy, too, but a bit more expansive, with a classic indie rock vibe. And it seems only a coin flip or luck that they are less known than Dinosaur. In a more just world, Aerosmith would have opened for them.

This album was a perfectly fine alt rock/grunge album. It was by no means in the leagues of Nirvana or Pavement but it definitely wasn't the worst 90s rock album I've heard so far on this list. The vocals sounded like Trent Reznor and the lyrics were basically a concept album about a toxic relationship. I especially liked the track from the woman's point of view. High 3

This album feels like a cross between Soul Asylum and the Pogues. Lot of screaming in their songs (not a bad thing, just an observation). I've listened to the album twice now, and the only song that really hit me was "What Jail Is Like." I found that to be an odd yet interesting song. The instrumental at the end was pretty cool too, you don't hear a lot of bands ending albums like that (Pearl Jam's "Yield" one of my faves by that band comes to mind). I liked it, but there was nothing about it that really grabbed me. So a big "meh" from me.

Just as good as, if not better than The Screaming Trees. Neither band I listened to at all in the 90's and I still have never listened to the Afghan Whigs until now, though I read an interesting article on them a dew months ago. They were grunge but not quite; a little more melody? Still angsty, still flawed vocals. But I really like the compositions and the way the guitars, bass, and drums come together on this album. And it's a solid bit of dark lyrics; the theme runs through it well even if there are hiccups along the way (Be Sweet - a little too forward, even if it was meant to capture a narrator's view). Best tracks were If I Were Going (minus the bees to open and close), title track (crunchy), Debonair, (minus the clap stuff to open; the guitar sound is what does it), Fountain and Fairfax (again, the pitchy guitar), Now You Know (though I get it if others feel like they're repeating that guitar sound), and I Keep Coming Back (droning sound gave this a much different but still cool feel than other songs). I definitely will go check out more of their stuff.

This is grower - couldn’t make up my mind after two listens but as you scratch the surface you start seeing some of the gold shine through. Haven’t had time to figure out how deep the precious metal vein goes but it’s deep enough so far to warrant a place on the rotation list.

Es un disco rarísimo, porque los temas lentos son una crema, con increíbles arreglos; pero los temas más rocanrol son muy flojos, lo que lleva a que en su generalidad no me termine de cerrar.

Decent 90s rock ish

Meh this album disappointed me, just felt like another generic 90’s alt rock record with cringe lyrics, not sure how it’s made this list.

This album is really disgusting but also really good. With lyrics like this I was really surprised to see a song with a female vocalist, but it was pretty awesome. The only song I didn't love was the 2nd to last one. Finding albums like this is what makes this list fun. Score: 90 Art: 80

I liked most of the sound, not so much the vocals. Overall, this did not feel very exciting or interesting for this genre of music, which I love mostly all of it.

Music itself is enjoyable enough, the vibe does not quite arrive.

actually pretty cool

For being grunge-like rock, it’s more my style than some other stuff I’ve had on this list but still gets pretty rough by the end of the record. 5/10

I tried liking this album, I think I did a bit at the beginning but as I got further in I just really hated it. It got annoying after a couple songs and getting to the end was a new kind of hell for me.

This is boring. The angst can't save this. It's just boring. Everything sounds the same.

Ja feelar att de sku ha kunna vari bra om de va bra, några coola trumdelar dock

I rock with this album. Maybe I’m just an alt-rock guy. Also see a lot of people complain about the lyrics but I didn’t notice them so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Koola instrumental delar förstörs av en ass vocalist och att låtarna inte är särskilt catchy/intressanta. Låten var en kvinna sjöng va bättre.

First song was not very good... Singer is kinda rough, like a budget Chris Cornell. Guitar solo in Gentleman was great. I like the effect on the guitar used throughout. Lyrics remain angsty. Overall, not bad, not great. Not going to listen to this band anymore, but didn't feel like they wasted my time.

"I got a dick for a brain, and my brain is going to sell my ass to you" is an all time line The guitar in each song is very unique which I really enjoy. Not the biggest fan of the singers voice but that instrumentals are very good

This is just ok. Not my fav.

I am so conflicted here. On one note, I feel like I've found a missing link. I can hear the Replacements, and even some 90s emo in here. I can also here where basically every post-grunge band got their sound from, and even The Gaslight Anthem, who are my absolute favorite band. That being said... I like emo, and I'm usually pretty talented at ignoring vocalists who just *go for it*. But this guy just *goes for it* so frequently, and... I really don't think he can sing. He's pitchy, and when he tries to hit those highs, he rarely comes close. The lyrics are another problem, I realized, when he bluntly said he had a dick instead of a brain. Just... very weird, overall. Favorite track: "Debonair"

Instrumentals were solid but singer was subpar at best

Never thought this band was all that special per se and that goes for the album. It's good but not sure about being on this list to be honest.

Another record I’d be interested in reading why it was chosen. It was fine, but run of the mill. I thing bad, but zero stood out.

Reminded me of other bands i listened to in this era. Solid but nothing really stood out. Probably between a 3 and a 4.

It's very 90s but seems fairly generic 90s. It's fine, I'd listen to it again, maybe, but I won't search it out to put on.

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.

ok

Yeah, thought I was going to like this, but got bored quiclly

It took me a couple listens, but I love this album. Fits perfectly in my alternative wheelhouse. Favorite track: Brother Woodrow. An epic finisher

I tried, but the singing ruins what would otherwise be an ok album.

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 went into this record with high expectations. I’m quite aware of The Afghan Whigs but never really dived into them. I like the raw production and shift in intensity. The layers are somewhat intricate and Greg Dulli explores multiple genres on this, his defining work of art. On paper I love this. But in reality I leave disappointed. It’s hard to put my finger on what it is exactly. Is it the vocals? Is it the lyrics? Maybe it’s the feeling of emotional distance on an album that’s supposed to be all felling? Maybe it’s just me. But I don’t care half as much about this as I expected I would.

Intrumenten doen me denken aan metal, dat beetje rauwe vervormde geluid. Zang is erg onstabiel en klinkt niet lekker. Niet zo'n fijn album voor mij. **

Fine. I know it’s about a relationship and stuff, but it doesn’t really grab me and I don’t remember much about it.

I usually like this kind of music, but this was not good. Or maybe I'm not in the mood for it

also pussy repellant music but not too bad

Still ten times more interesting than Pearl Jam, in a somewhat close nineties "alternative" genre. Yet still awkward and/or hackneyed in many places. A lot of the vocal melodies in the livelier tracks sound the same, Greg Dulli's attempts to infuse soul/r'n'b inflexions in his performance sometimes miss the mark, and the lyrics are, well, an acquired taste. I won't make the mistake many listeners did in this group when they confused author and narrator so as to label Dulli as an "incel"--*Gentlemen* is close to a concept album after all, and it's not because the story it tells has disturbing moments that Dulli should automatically be considered as a problematic figure. A few words about the artwork: I really like it. It tells the exact same story this album does with a picture that's beautifully shot and staged. People who find it "gross" lack subtlety. The point of the picture is NOT to place children in "adult" situations. The point is to express how immature, fragile and lost many adults are when it comes to sound relationship. And how their inner children get hurt as a result. Interestingly, I've also listened to Afghan Whigs' last LP, *How Do You Burn?*, released in 2022, and I thought it was far better than this supposed landmark of theirs. The thing is, this is not the nineties anymore, so very few people noticed that other record. Context and zeitgeist are often important to understand the artistic success that an album is. But sometimes, I wonder if those things are not blurring the picture somehow, at least when you want to assess a band's discography. As a conclusion, *Gentlemen* is not utterly bad, but I don't really see why it should be considered as an "essential' album. 2/5 for the purposes of this list (which means 7/5 for more general purposes: 5+2). Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 595 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 193 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 90 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 122 (including this one)

Some nice music here. Didn't particularly listen to lyrics tbh Saved songs: Debonair, Fountain and Fairfax, My Curse, I Keep Coming Back, Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer

I wasn’t sorry what to expect and was pleasantly not disappointed. It was a bit generic, but then it could be those that came after that copied them. Who knows.

2.5

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.

I feel that emos that like LIVE would like this album. It's grungy with a side of melancholy. Perfect for those moments of self reflection deciding on when/how to get attention.

This rocked

Sad. Breakup music. Angst. All of it.

Serviceable 90s rock, but ultimately forgettable and kind of annoying. Also, this album cover is gross.

In glad I found this!

2.5

Very Good. The vocals, while growing on me over the course of the record, i feel detracted from the more interesting musical tone & timbre. I am nit picking i suppose as i will delve deeper into the Whigs discography.

A bit grungy, a bit indie, a bit rocky. This is fine. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: What Jail is Like Date listened: 08/03/23

Murky grungy guitar rock on a breakup theme...bought this 19 years ago because of its acclaim but didn't get it then either.

Aika perus hyvää rockia, mutta tykkäsin kyllä kappaleista

There's some really great songwriting and production on show here. It sounds great. The guitars in particular stand out to me as being really well produced and mixed, the slide seamlessly between different tones that serve the direction of the songs without ever being overpowering. Similarly there is just the right amount of bass and its doing interesting enough stuff to give some interest but without making itself the focus. The problem seems to come with the vocals here, the singer isn't untalented by any means but he seems to make some questionable decisions, sometimes stretching his range to try and get the effect of his voice cracking which doesn't really land. He also seems to operate in this raspy range which is far to low and slow for him to be comfortable a lot. The vocals are also mixed very strangely, in parts its almost like they have been taken from a completely different project and dropped in with only minimal effort put into making it sound like an organic part of the song. The lyrics throughout also scream "I'm 16 and writing my first edgy love songs" One thing I did respect was the ending. An instrumental (a good one at that) with a relatively complex title gives the whole thing a conceptual spin which I love. In fact I feel like the rest of the album could have benefitted from being a bit more high concept, they are so desperately reaching in that direction but don't quite get there. It makes me wonder if some A+R rep got involved and got them to tone it down from their original vision. Disappointing if something like that happened. Ultimately it has a lot of strengths and some cracking songs but I didn't love it.

Too Nerdy-Alt-Dad-Rock for me

Fantastic album

Kind of a plain, mellow, 90's grunge vibe.

отличный альбом. до 5 мне не хватило качества записи (прозрачность гитар, вокала). по эмоциональным ощущениям околовеликолепный альбом. очень наполненная на ритмические рисунки музыка, классные тексты. я переслушал раза 3 подряд, ну уж очень нравится

Смешанные чувства Где-то до 3 песни альбома я думал что будет все довольно однообразно, но потом то ли я влился, то ли альбом разогнался и мне стало очень приятно его слушать. Не могу сказать чем именно зацепило, но было прям неплохо Алкоальбом: друзья что-то намешали на вечеринке

Mood: "Начал за здравие, кончил за упокой". То есть, я думал, что это будет боевой такой инди-рокешник, нооо... да, так и было первые несколько песен. Прикололся с текста: "Ladies, let me tell you about myself I got a dick for a brain And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you" Посмеялся. А потом это скатилось в какую-то непонятную кашу. Месиво инструментов, вокал из жопы... В итоге, если и буду переслушивать этот альбом, то его первую половину. P.S. Передаю привет Коле Моргунову и его рекомендации послушать группу Bicycles from Afghanistan: теперь я знаю две группы, которые отсылаются к этой ближневосточной стране в названии.

Скучная каша, вначале чёт относительно прикольно, середина бяка и ласт трек только приятный

Nothing has really stood out at all across the whole album. It all seems to have melded into one giant murky thing, with no particular standout riffs or moments, and no real changes in tone or mood. It's completely ordinary. I'm not getting a lot from it.

Reviens me demander une critique quand le groupe aura percé, merci Robert.

Les perruques afghanes étaient très urticantes, ce qui m'a valu de me gratter le cuir chevelu pendant toute la durée de l'album. Malgré cela, j'ai trouvé l'album excellent.

meh.

Ish.

Tonight I go to hell For what I've done to you This ain't about regret It's when I tell the truth And once again The monster speaks Reveals his face and searches for relief A little boy is tied to you Attracted only 'til it comes unglued Great album. Tells a story in a way that most dont. 4/5

I never really got into The Afghan Whigs when I was younger, and that was a mistake. This album is a masterpiece of the breakup genre (if such a thing exists). It hits all of the right notes for me: brooding, self-deprecating, wallowing in despair.

kinda creepy

I keep wanting to get into the music, but the lyrics and the vocalist break the immersion each time. The prose lands as sophomoric and the lead singer's performance comes off as over the top. It's not a horrible album, I just can't see what makes it all that great.

Pretty standard indie/punk rock Very generic sounds No song in particular stands out Middle of the road album

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.

Another band I've heard of and never gotten around to checking them out. Well if this is the best they have then I'm glad I didn't waste my time before. What a forgettable album that does absolutely nothing new and seems to even do that worse than others.

I can already tell I'm, not going to like this. I don't like the guitars, it's a boolgy racket. Even the sifter ones are horrid. Pushed all of them to the end. No melodies just twanging. Bloody awful.

Found that super generic tbh. Might listen to it again with more focus as I should like it but didn't really feel anything.

I enjoyed this, but it's a bit harsh to have it follow that Pixies album. The sound is a bit cleaner (though still has a bit of filth), the singing is often even more tuneless, but the lyrics are just a bit painful. Sort of thing that I'd have loved when I was 13 (and would still be fond of now if I'd have listened to it then), but I've mostly grown out of now.

Generic and forgettable. Sounds like an amalgam of the shit bands that came out around the same time. Reminded me of the made up band that Adrianna was trying to get signed in “The Sopranos” Not impressed at all

Good to get back to an album by a proper band again, largely forgettable, liked the 2 singer setup

I'm not sure if they're aware of how creepy they sound. The instrumentation is good. Pretty sure I won't be listening to it again, though. It's like it was almost good, but there's something off about the entire album. Something disjointed and unnerving (which they may be going for) that I don't enjoy. Maybe I just don't get it. Not terrible, but not for me. 3/5

the instrumentation was fine, the lyrics were super weird though??

Not my thing, glimpses of good but too rare. 2

American indie doing generic American indie things with guitars. It almost sounds like Manic Street Preachers but not to my taste. A lot of this genre has aged appallingly. It's almost unlistenably fine.

This was like a really shit version of candlebox. Most of it sounded unfinished but still went far too long. Also, I listened to it on Spotify on my TV and the whole time the (I'm assuming) singer's face was close up on the screen and I hated that. 2/5.

Music was cool, guys voice put me off

Never heard of these guys before so had no preconceptions. Not the kind of thing I’m into but this seems really solid - interesting rhythms and liking the amount of swears in there. Will try and listen to some more of their stuff.

I really want to like Afghan Wigs more than I do. They've got that early 90s indie rock sound that's maybe just a bit too whiny for me? IDK. They're good and I enjoyed this record but didn't love it.

HL: “My Curse”, “Debonair”, “I Keep Coming Back”, “Brother Woodrow” Read during listening that the Afghan Whigs are heavily influenced by soul. Feel like it didn’t come thru until the final 3rd, which was disappointing (but that’s on me, I created expectations prior to listening). Is this an essential listen? Not at all in my opinion. Did I like it? Yeah, it was pretty good. December 28, 2022 (late)

This album was cool, and I'd like to listen to it more. 4/5

I couldn’t even finish this. Partly I was too busy, but I just wasn’t that impressed. D+

this is a good 90s rock album. like real good. the right guitar tones. a little fuzzier, but still clean and present. nice meandering solo work and riffs. big songs, big sounds. theres a misstep with a eric clapton-esque riff and a different singer? “my curse” its not a bad song it just feels out of place. other than that this is the kind of indie turned giant label rock you need. could sit with archers of lof, built to spill, pavement of the time. so much went wrong for music in the 90s. this shit kicks.

Good when driving at night

One of my favorite albums of all time. Before I listened to Gentlemen I was a boy, after listening to it I was a man. The Afghan wigs aren't easily my favorite band and I have seen them perform numerous times.

It’s just not good

Teenage angsty straightforward lyrics on music that was the bridge between grunge and alternative rock. With dark over and undertones, superb guitarriffs. A classic from the 90's

The music is not bad but the record is quite cringe overall

Not a lot here for me either. This band has always been just beyond my reach and has been recommended to me by a number of people over the years. I just do not find this interesting at all.

Pretty cool rock

En el cuarto álbum de The Afghan Whigs logran mezclar el r&b y el soul, con todo lo que conllevan estos géneros tanto en lo musical como en sus letras, con el rock, con su característica pesadez e instrumental. Es interesante cómo a la impronta roquera se le unen arreglos orquestales, baladas delicadas y hasta un tema instrumental como outro del álbum. Tienen una banda muy balanceada en cuanto a groove, nivel compositivo, las canciones tienen un atractivo que se hace notar desde la primera escucha. Todo también se ve equilibrado con una voz líder muy acertada en todo momento. Al tener un cierre de álbum tan por lo bajo con los últimos dos tracks, da la sensación de que comienza con un arranque muy power que va cayendo con el transcurrir del álbum. Pero lo cierto esque es un álbum balanceado y muy correcto. Este balance hace que no se note muy atrevido en su pasar y sean más o menos todos los temas muy llanos entre si, haciendo de su escucha, algo aburrida.

Ok album, not bad but definitely not great either. 3,5/5

Instrumentally, I really dig this - but the vocals (not just his voice but the actually melodies) are annoying. Music 5. Vocals 1. Avg = 3

I did like the instrumentation for the most part, however the vocals are pretty offputting. The overall vibe of the album is just not really doing it for me. A few moments stood out, but not enough to make this worthwhile.

Way too irritating for me.

I’ve heard “of“ the Afghan Whigs, but I can’t recall hearing any song. The tracks feel familiar but not familiar enough. This is the kind of music that if I’d heard it when I was 18 I probably would’ve loved it. Now I feel completely ambivalent. I really liked the instrumental Closing Prayer track. I’m also stupidly intrigued by their name as it detracts from their style. All I see in my mind’s eye is a load of 19th century British politicians - not really the image for a heartfelt break-up album.

Eh

Very emotional lyrics with a hard rock and grunge sound. Couldn’t hear the talked about influence of classic soul music, but agree that Gregg sings from the soul. Just a bit too noisy, although it did remind me of Bob Mould’s, Husker Du front man’s, Sugar.

Not that good at all. It’s why we can’t remember it.

This just bothered me for some reason. The singer sometimes sounded like an uncool Trent Reznor, the music sounded like a 90s pastiche, and some of the lyrics are hilariously bad (see: opening line to Be Sweet).

I've had a run of bands that I'd never heard of in the last two weeks. Some of them I've listened to several times as well as going for a dive into their catalogue. That won't be happening with The Afghan Whigs. The most interesting song is The Curse which features a guest vocalist. Dulli needs to try something other than yelling when he sings. There are some good sounds but album blurs into sameness because of Dulli's dullness.

Pretty out there, good album

Alright, that's about it

No

Been meaning to listen to more of The Afghan Whigs ever since Miles Iz Ded showed up on my discover weekly once. At some later point, I'd seen them labeled as Grunge, though I'm not sure I agree with that. They were a Sub-Pop band and so I'd always thought they were from the PNW, but it turns out they're a Cincy based band. Not sure why that matters. Solid 3. Standouts: Gentleman, Debonair, When We Two Parted, My Curse

I want to like it, kind of, but not totally.

Very 90s. I don’t remember much else about it, so it must not have been that good.

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.

Heard it before?: no Enjoy it?: Yes, has a very soothing presence Favourite song: Track 3 - Be Sweet

Buen disco de rock, con buena voz, melodías y ritmos.

Decent grunge era entry. I wasn't familiar with this band or any of the songs. I'll need to give another listen to properly place it. I liked "My Curse" with guest vocalist Marcy Mays the best or at least most interesting to my ears at first listen. I can see enjoying this record but don't feel like I missed out on it back in the '90s.

I could never get into Afghan Whigs much but the music is objectively good. All their songs have a seedy LA vibe in a good way.

Garage/Indie/Alt rock. I like the guitars. And maybe the cello (?). Afghan Whigs sound like somebody else. The name is on the tip of my tongue and I just can’t think of who it is. Although I know of the Afghan Whigs, I couldn’t name any songs or albums before today. I may have heard ‘Debonair’ before. It seems to me that the band was either in a movie playing themselves or was on some soundtrack in the early 90s. Reality Bites or Singles come to mind. I just looked it up and they did play as a band in some movie I didn’t see and they were on the soundtrack of the movie Beautiful Girls. I like the first few songs but the interesting instrumental parts start with Be Sweet. Be Sweet - Guitar reverb/feedback is cool When We Two Parted - guitar sounds. Is it a Wah wah pedal? Is this what it means to make a guitar weep? Or is it a cello? The line about the person who hurts you being the only one that can make them feel better is very psychopath-y. My Curse - is it a different singer? (I just looked it up and yes it is) I Keep Coming Back - the beginning has the same kind of vibe as ‘The Night We Met’ by Lord Huron I just genuinely liked it all. Found out that it is an album about the end of a relationship. According to Pitchfork, it’s ‘A harrowing song cycle chronicling the death throes of a relationship ‘. I will have to listen to it again knowing that - someday.

I enjoyed this album. I was drawn in by the recurring theme of personal reckoning and the honesty of the lyrics, though I'd guess the narrator and everyone he consorts with are folks I'd rather not have in my life. Lots of scoundrels. The album was hovering somewhere between 3–4 for me, never quite reaching 4 as musically this didn't have enough diversity to surprise me after the third song. I also did not like the harmonies. I couldn't tell if it was the singer doing his own purposely awful harmonies or some other band member who shouldn't have gotten a microphone, but that was a bad arrangement/production choice. I don't care what the aesthetic. Boo. Never listened to the band before, though the name is familiar. Now I have.

One of my favorite album covers. There are definitely some good songs on here, though I wasn't into it for the whole album. I liked it quite a bit back in the day, though, but unlike Automatic for the People, I don't remember it very well. On some songs, I felt myself thinking Greg Dulli was a great singer, and then on the next song I would wonder how the hell this take made it to the master. The music often sounds great, and the lyrics are sometimes powerful and provocative, but at the end of the day, I kept wanting there to be more hooks. My daughter dug it, though, what few songs she heard. So it's got that going for it.

Something about that wailing rock guitar in Be Sweet literally hurts my ears. In fact there were a number of times on this album I had to check my volume because my head hurt. While the volume wasn't loud, the tonal frequency of this album was a serious problem. I thought I was acting a little fragile about this until I found an article from Science magazine about how certain frequencies can indeed hurt (and damage) your ears. Combine the aural pressure with an album about a breakup and -- from me -- you get a 2.

Getting some notes of Flaming Lips - good hard rock vibes.

I didn’t always love listening to this but I found it really compelling. I found it a fairly effective take on the concept album, creating complex, troubled characters on a fucked up journey.

This album was neither appealing nor interesting to me. It is not a 1 because it didn’t cause pain to my earholes, and when it is playing I can just tune it out.

Wow oh wow was I bored by this.

Wow this was a ride… I have never heard of the Afghan Whigs even though I listened to my share of 90s grunge. It has a lot of the characteristics of its generation of music, but Gentlemen isn’t exactly the 90s grunge formula. The album is crafted like a movie exploring a very complicated and troubled relationship. The album ends with “Closing Prayer” - an instrumental piece that evokes the rolling of credits. So while the grinding guitars feel very 90s, this album stands out from a lot of that era’s music. The first time through I wasn’t sure I loved this, but after a second pass I really was drawn in to the story and the music. I wish I had discovered this when it was released because there sure is a lot to explore here. I’m not sure I have the energy now for this much drama often, but this album is definitely worthy of this list with a lot of depth to explore.

When I first moved to Toronto in 1985, CFNY played Alternative and it was good Alternative. A couple of years later they abandoned Alternative in favour of drivel. Around 5 years after that, they decided to embrace Alternative again but by that time Alternative had become mainstream drivel. That would be around the time this Afghan Whigs album was released. 

I like some of the moody guitar riffs but the vocals drag me down, though the guest vocalist on The Curse is a nice change up. I may have given it another point with another listen but it's a busy day (even for a retiree).

This is fairly typical mid 90s grunge, as most reviewers have mentioned, the lead vocalist's voice is somewhat off putting. So much that the most interesting song for me was the instrumental Brother Woodrow. The album cover is a bit unsettling also, and I see in Wiki that it was influenced by a photo by controversial photographer Nan Goldin.

1.5

90s music with an 80s vibe. Interesting but not captivating

Started off strong than petered out

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

Wow, awesome mix of grunge and psychedelic guitars. Definitely hear some king gizz in here.

A very 90s sounding light grunge feel. Never heard of them before but this isn't the worst

The music itself is bland sounding alt rock and I'm not a fan of the singer's voice or vocal style. Not something I'd probably listen to again.

Better than I expected from a band with probably one of the most pretentiously crap names in history. Dodgy cover though.

Great moments buried in shit.

he's no GG Allin

Terrible. Don't like the drumming in particular - or the vocals, or the mix but most importantly the songs are poor.

Some really cool sounds in here and I like the vibe - I just wished a liked the vocal delivery better

No thanks.

3.5/5

Good listen.

You have heard this 90s post grunge before

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

A little hard to listen to at times.

I actually enjoyed the misery that was this album.

Dunno how I've never heard these guys before... v. good album

Decent listen

Never heard of this band or any of their songs before but I was pleasantly surprised. I was expecting more of a strictly 90s style vibe, but the album had some pretty diverse sounds. I saved My Curse and Now You Know to my Spotify.

Pretty good had never heard of them before

bem bom, sonzao imponente

Ekki týpísk grunge leiðindi, þannig sé nokkuð fjölbreytt lög og útsetningar ekki alveg einsleitar, en samt voða lítið eftirminnilegt, og söngurinn bleh. Næsta plata.

It's ok.

Not bad but not very entertained by it.

Giving me strong sonic similarity to Soul Asylum. It was fine, but I can see why these guys never made it truly big and are an obscure unheard group. It's not their fault they were eclipsed by the most major grunge and alt rock bands of all time. They just don't have the presence to go toe to toe with Kurt, Eddie, Chris, Layne, Gavin, Billy, Anthony, Dave, Rivers, or even Thurston and Frank Black. They know how to rock, but they ain't got that secret star power sauce.

very fun to listen to

Ovo mi je jedan od najdražih albuma devedesetih

An interesting album, which definitely sounds like 90's alternative with a slight bit of grunge mixed in. Guitar pedals to the rescue! Pretty good album overall.

Had never heard of this band. Pretty good album.

peak 90s alt sounds.

y'know if i were at a show at a smaller venue and these guys were playing a show with a band i wanted to see, i'd prolly be having a good time. but i wouldn't be going out of my way to listen to them

I'm mixed on this. On the one hand, I like the overall sound of this being rickety and unstable and it sets them apart. On the other, I mostly struggle to connect with the songwriting and getting used to Dulli's vocals is not easy. I think if I was more of a rock head I could slip into this easy, but for now only a few songs stand out for me.

Great breakup album lmao

SO BORING

Didn't hate it, but it was also a little cringe. It feels like Three Doors Down, but not in a good way. One of the best songs, in my opinion, wasn't even sung by the lead singer. Overall, the album is fine, but not great. Best Songs: Gentlemen, My Curse Worst Songs: Fountain and Fairfax, What Jail is Like

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.

Alternative rock, 1993. Gentlemen starts with incredible music since the first moments of the record and that feeling gets better going through this album. Every song portrait a different vibe to enjoy and the voice matches perfectly with the instruments in all the project. Definitely in the top 20 records of the 90s and in the top 10 of its genre.

man this is so emo

I would have rated this album higher but I really didn't like the singer's voice. I found his inflection SO grating that I barely made it through the whole album. The only reason I'm not giving it a 1 is because I actually quite liked the instrumentation. 2/5 stars

Fine

Is background music. Wouldnt be bad to add to a shuffle but not interesting enough to go searching for

Had some highlights but overall was pretty mid. Didn’t really like the lead singer’s voice.

Absolute shite!

Loved it.

Is it a 4 or is it a 5? I had to give it a fourth listen this morning to make sure. It definitely improves with each listen. The album depicts the anger, hurt and frustration of a couple going through a break up and it tells the story very well. It's a great album to get lost in and I love the idea that this is a contemporary version of a song cycle. It's not as good as Winterreise though! A very high 4 for me.

This was a decent album that’s I’ve never heard of before. Felt like they were a more relaxed 90s alternative band without sounding too grungey. I liked the instrumentals. The guitarist was solid. The lyrics were ok and the singer was pretty decent. Nothing too bad about the album other than it was probably just too generic at points. 5.9/10

Cringy lyrics, annoying vocals, not worth your time.

Brilliant rock album full angst and a intoxiticating relationship story 👍

Anxiety inducing stuff. An interesting sound tho?

Emotional and raw

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.

Ehh not memorable

Some really good tracks but I did find the vocals quite grating on occasion.

The album was about an hour long. None of the songs were memorable or really that good. I tolerated it and did not skip any songs.

A concept album of sorts about the toxic breakdown of a relationship. Self-lacerating, lashing out, and brutally frank, the influence of soul ballads (eg Dark End of the Street, as covered on the preceding Uptown Avondale) is apparent, although presented in a much noisier fashion. This is a lot more sophisticated than much of the contemporaneous grunge rock, but no less dark. Possibly more so. I listened to this a bit when it first came out, but stopped because the dark emotional weight made it hard to listen to. This is still one of the most harrowing albums about a romantic break-up and toxic masculinity ever recorded. It still packs a punch today. The album is well summed up by the line “It's in our heart, in our heads, in our love, and in our beds.”

Plodding 90s rock songs about the break-up of a toxic relationship (apparently). With more of those sub-metal vocals that were so popular at the time. Not my thing at all.

The poor fella doesn't seem to be in a happy place. I don't want to particularly be in this place with him either. The track where the other half in the break up gets to have her say just drags it out further. I played Shaky and Bonnie's Rockin' Good Way to cheer me up.

This is a record that grows on you. At first you don’t care much for it but as you listen the bands unique…’90s almost emo sound wins you over.

like a more heartbreaky, less depressed version of nine inch nails 3.5

Probably deserves another listen

Quite enjoyed this. It seems pretty heavy lyrically, and it packs a punch musically too, but not at the expense of melody or craft. My Curse was an unexpected but welcome left-turn. The lead singer reminds me of a few other rock singers of the era but I can't think who any of them are. Trent Reznor maybe?

The music was good but the vocals were unimpressive. I've never heard of the band yet they are described as "one of the most critically acclaimed alternative bands of the early '90s"

This must be my week of 1993. Along with Grant Lee Buffalo, I get The Afghan Whigs, both not falling in the grunge category, amazingly. This is The Afghan Whigs' 4th album. Besides the last song, every song is about breaking up or some aspect a toxic relationship. The music and lyrics are high drama. There does not appear to be an overarching story; each song is its own story of relationship misery. Greg Dulli (lead singer) used Van Morrison's "Astral Weeks" as inspiration with each song on its own within an overall motif. I definitely see that. The lyrics are very descriptive and can be pretty vicious. Some of the Afghan Whigs' music has a soulful influence but this album, besides one song, is straight forward drama and rock. It is one of the best albums that I've heard where the lyrics and music are trying to match each other. The album is great listening to as a whole capturing the overall tone but also has great individual tunes. "Debonair" is the one sort of funky song on the album with a great, unique groove, has tremendous and vicious lyrics about being in a poisonous relationship "Cause it don't bleed, And it don't breathe, It's locked its jaws, And now it's swallowing," and is one of my favorite songs of the 90's. "Gentlemen" has a intense dramatic intro and maintains that throughout the song. "What Jail Is Like" builds the drama using the soft-loud-soft dynamic and compares the relationship to being in jail. The Afghan Whigs broke up in 2001 and reformed in 2012 and are still absolutely amazing seeing live. They have 7 studio albums all worth checking out with this probably being their best.

p709. 1993. 4 stars Accessible indy rock with distinct hints of Nirvana. Came cold to this and was pleasantly surprised. On the replay list.

I've listened to this like 3 times now after never getting around to it in high school and I still don't like it. I hated his voice less than previous listens but this album just makes me feel shitty. It's like the House of Cards of albums---interesting at times but ultimately gross and not worth it.

Prachtalbum! Ik heb nu al zin in het concert deze zomer, de kaartjes al op zak!

Geen tijd gehad om deze top plaat te beluisteren, maar dat hoeft ook niet, want deze heb ik waarschijnlijk meer gedraaid dan welke andere CD ooit! Helemaal goed.

Echt een te gekke plaat. Rock maar toch soulvol.

Geweldige band! En deze plaat is een van de meerdere hoogtepunten in hun oeuvre. Wel erg 90's-anger maarja dat is nou eenmaal waardoor ik gevormd ben😉

Poewee. Ik vind het niet per se slecht, maar wel ontzettend jankerig.

Okay album. Very 90s some good songs but nothing stood out for me.

I don't like his voice.

Decent pick of Alt Rock that's occasionally generic, but with some bright spots here and there. Favourites: "Gentlemen", "Debonair", "Brother Woodrow"

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

Musically this album is fine, but Greg Dulli's vocals aren't doing it for me. I enjoyed Marcy Mays on "My Curse." This is a perfectly fine album of its genre/time, but not especially memorable. Fave Songs: My Curse, When We Two Parted, Fountain and Fairfax, Brother Woodrow

Unexpectedly emo 🖤

Bit boring

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.

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.

Didn’t really grab me. More dubiously portentous, gloomy dude-alt.

Un disc del seu moment. Emparentat amb el grunge per l'època, però no pel seu so, rock alternatiu amb certs aires de soul. Molt del seu temps, que en el seu moment em va passar desapercebut. La fama de clàssic perdut la té ben merescuda

Four stars. I don't really know what to say about it, though, that hasn't already been said about how nasty it is (particularly by Greg Dulli); good thing the tunes are so good or else it might be a bit *too* bracing.

Surprised on listening to this that I wasn't more into them at the time as it's a 90s sound I was definitely into back then. Probably deserves a repeat listen but initially I don't find it outstanding. Last track, an instrumental, possibly the best one for me. 3.5

I'm surprised at this one - not at all how I thought The Afghan Whigs would sound. Nothing grabbed me here, but I believed it at least, so I mean that's at least 2 stars.

Decent, could possibly creep into a four star album on another day. At times these guys sounded like a more rough-and-tumble version of Television; or perhaps a more polite Stooges. The genuinely emotive vocals add welcome grit to the rather polished production. This is only a few primal howls short of true brilliance - but this record never quite overcomes its own innate good manners to reach this point.

Genre: Alternative Rock 3/5 My feed the past week or so has been nothing but 90s alt-rock, and to be quite honest, it's fogging up every subsequent listen. The Afghan Whigs, a group no one has heard of, makes a competent rock record. Am I sure why this was included in this book? No. There is truly nothing signifying or different than its contemporaries. The angst, the heartbreak, and the emotion is felt, but the music never lifts any of these emotional concepts above a casual jaunt. The music plods a bit throughout, but there are beacons of light. Fountain and Fairfax kicks some ass, and the title track is also good, but everything here is fairly standard fare. It's certainly "an album".

Music's that's not too good, not too bad, and generally feels like it's going nowhere

2/23/22

The music is the most interesting thing about this album. Though it is pretty typical 90s driving guitar, bass, and drums, the use of piano throughout and the new wave style bass lines help to open it up and lend a sense of expansiveness. Like a lot of other reviewers, the lyrics are by far my least favorite part. They come off as obsessive and faux edgy making it very difficult to sympathize with the singer. Overall, the album is fine and perfectly enjoyable. I just wish the lyrics were better.

It sure was music. Grungy, moody, Nirvana did it better.

This is one of those instances where the sunmative album is greater than any one individual song.

I wish that I loved this album more than I did. I think I have the capacity to love it, but it just didn't click with me today. It was some great rock, but I either just wasn't in the mood or something was missing and I'm not sure what it was.

Starts off strong with powerful guitar leads and riveting vocals, but quickly dates itself back to the 90s on the back half with schmaltzy arrangements and questionable vocal delivery.

I always like a concept album, and hats off to the delicious guitar riffs and engaging vocal performance. I wish the production was a little less muddy and the sounds the played had a little more variety, but this had enough going for it to just barely scrape out a fourth star.

Unrelenting grit and grunginess like this can only come from Ohio.

I really liked this. Admittedly right up my street as it sounds like the Replacements but the songs were very strong and well put together

This one is good too very 90s

This is so '90's

Didn't stand out too much to me. The album overall sounded pretty good, but it all sort of blended together. Still some great moments though. Favorite Songs: Debonair, My Curse, Brother Woodrow

A good listen

deze vond ik ook leuk my curse neem ik mee

toffe listen

Prva pjesma mi se nije svidila. Druga je krenula dobro i onda su krenuli pjevat i više mi nije bilo dobro. Treća pjesma me nasmijala jer "I got a dick for a brain and my brain is gonna sell my ass to you"?? i "cause she wants to love and I still wanna fuck". Himna za Tinder. Četvrta isto ko druga. Petu preskočila i onda se u šestoj kreno derat i tu sam rekla e neš više! Usprkos svemu nije mi za jedinicu.

Zbog ovakvih stvari sam unišao u ovu kolotečinu albuma. Da mi se isprsi nekad neki album od nekog nekad izvođača za kojeg nikad nisam čuo, i bude ono materijal za daljnji nastavak egzistencijalnog života - Ovo će biti na nekoj repeticiji, osjećam.

Pa onak površinski se čini dost običan "već sam to čuo x y puta" album, al kad se malo poprati i zagrebe ispod ima tu dosta dobrih stvari i ekšli umjetničke vrijednosti, def nastavljam slušat kada budem u moodu za tak nešt. Poticajna četvorka.

not loving so far but it could surprise. nah im gonna quit 2 songs in. not for me.

Meh. Found the vocals to be annoying and there was too much twang

Classic early-mid 90s angst and edge. Finally glad to have listened to a complete album from The Afghan Whigs, but I don't think I'll listen again.

Similar to a lot of other album, not an incredibly big fan.

Had a few listens now as it's very much an 'album' rather than collection of a few standout tracks. Did enjoy - constantly revising who they remind me (Ooh just like - Verve, ooh U2, ooh Muse etc). Looking forward to hearing more of them

I did enjoy it, but it seems like something that needs a few listens to really say anything more

2/5 Not really exceptional, kind of dull

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.

I enjoyed the raw, alternative rock on this album. Some great guitar work, a very charismatic lead singer, and some bitter feelings about relationships are all over this thing. He's got a Jim Morrison thing going in "Fountain and Fairfax," and I think that he must have been influenced by The Doors. I admit I got kind of lost in this one. There's substance, cool riffs, and passion.

Expected to love it but just lacked any sort of connection.

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.

Will need to listen again to get the full lyrical story. Musically was great though.

De ver la portada esperaba más rock alternativo noventero hacia el grunge estandar pero, aunque en cierto modo lo es, es mucho más que eso. Me llamo mucho que siento una línea completa dentro del disco en su temática hacia temas sobre la ansiedad y hacia sentir como si fuera un album concepto que en partes fuera una confesión de alguien que realizó algún crimen grave. Esa mezcla fue bastante interesante y creo que las canciones están muy bien logradas. Musicalmente el inicio agarra de sorpresa, excelente, desolador y pone el ambiente correcto. El disco es mucho más pesado de lo que esperaba, no es que sea Slayer pero de verdad tiene un sonido único y no suena simplemente a "otra banda de esas" Variado, interesante, inteligente... Sonando a ratos a una mezcla de RHCP, Bowie y composiciones de Peter Gabriel en una licuadora sobre una base de grunge. Muy muy interesante

Sonido crudo pero original, me hubiera gustado conocer esta banda más joven. Hoy no me volaron los sesos como quizá lo hubieran hecho hace veinte años. 3.5 estrellas que suben a 4 porque sí los pienso escuchar de nuevo. Songs: Now you know, Debonair

Rock Alternativo noventero mucho más agradable de lo que esperaba. Entre el nombre y la portada me imaginé que vendría una cosa Nirvanesca pero sin siquiera llegarle y fue grata sorpresa escuchar otra cosa. De esos discos que en aquella época quizá tuvieron para hacer que despegara la banda y solo les faltó vivir en Seattle en vez de Cincinatti.

some ok, some meh

Cincinnati representing... wish it was a decent album

Was listening to local radio last night, and I thought to myself “I’m not familiar with this Replacements song…” it was these Afghan Whigs. That Replacements influence is pretty strong. Very Good album - the breakup theme was disconcerting; probably because it seemed so sincere. Listworthy = 👍

This was cooler and more raw than I expected. I thought of the Afghan Whigs as an overrated indie darling band, but there's some solid stuff here.

Potente

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

Really quite good.

Was gonna give it a 2, but the last few tracks bump it up to a 3

i feel like i should have liked this more than i did. just got the feeling listening to this that dinosaur jr did it better.

Up The Talilads

Afghan Lids