The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen

 Dark and scary..... And simply brilliant
Wow, the only thing more difficult than listening to this record is writing a review.

A little history.... I saw the title song on MTV's 120 minutes. It was good. I heard the song on the radio and it was good. Just about every song on this CD is "good." The point being, when you listen to it as a whole, each song becomes GREAT. "Gentlemen" and "Debonair" were minor hits, and if you heard those songs and they sounded "o.k.", trust me when I say that after to listening to CD a few times you will appreciate those minor hits 10 fold.

I bought this CD a few months ago after reading the reviews on Amazon.com. I was blown away. I really haven't seen such passionate reviews on any record on Amazon.com. Not even the Beatles have any 5 star studio recordings. Where the listens/reviewers duped? Hardly.

I have now been obsessed with this CD for 3 months. Words can not describe the pain, torment and beauty of this CD. This is not a CD to listen to while drinking beers and playing pool with your buddies. This is a solitary CD, to be listened to while sitting in a chair, and giving it your full attention. No books or magazines allowed. Just you and your attention, please. Only then will you truly understand the genius of this record.

This CD is all about love. A love that lasted a third of Greg Dulli's life. A love that ended. Greg is in horrific pain, and it is obvious. To write songs that simply say "You are a b_tch and I hate you" would be way too simple. This is not that type of record. Greg accepts responsibility for his failings. The part that is really scary is that you and I have those same traits and thus, the same failings. To use a tired cliche, Greg points the finger at the female, and simultaneously points three fingers back at himself. And you and I have at least two of those three traits.

"Gentlemen" was the first song I heard. It was "ok" a few months ago, and yet now it is simply brilliant. I can honestly say I "get" that song perfectly when listened to with the rest of the CD. Every song here works... there is no filler. Even the instrumental at end works, like a warm bath after at hard day's work in a coal mine. The instrumental is needed after the emotional devastation caused by this record.

This is not a fun CD to listen to. In fact, Greg had another singer sing one of the songs because it was too painful for him. "My Curse" features Marcy Mays, and she is amazing. If you were wondering, there is a line where she talks about perfume that the other person is wearing. This is not a lesbian love song, it is a song written by Greg to a female that he could never sing in the studio because it was too painful. And if you go to youtube and see the live version of the song sung by Marcy, you will understand why.

My favorite song may by "What Jail is Like," but "Be Sweet" and "My Curse" are also among my favorites. "Favorite" meaning most painful, most like my own life, and most likely to make me cry.

People compare the Afghan Whigs to Nirvana. They were both on Sub Pop. "Nevermind" is brilliant, but it is not "Gentlemen." First, the lyrics on "Nevermind" can't even come close to "Gentlemen." There are no "an albino, a mosquito" lyrics on Gentlemen. This is not to bash Nirvana, but Gentlemen is so much deeper. Second, The Afghan Whigs are great musicians. If any of you play guitar, you know that "Nevermind" is a pretty simple album to play, so long as you know what a power chord is. Not so with "Gentlemen." The Afghan Whigs are real musicians, with a definitely soul influence. Heck, there are even pianos on this CD.

Well, I guess I've rambled for a long time. If you are still happily with your first girlfriend from 8th grade, then skip this record. Get a Hanson record instead. But if you have been emotionally destroyed by the breakup of a relationship anytime in your life, then get this record. You will understand it. And you will be amazed by it, just like all the others who have reviewed "Gentlemen."

And yes.....it really is that good.
May 9, 2008

 Just another 5 star rating.
This album is one of the reasons the 90s were the best years for music since the 50s. It's hard to find musical integrity and quality like this these days, that's for sure. My how things have changed... MTV use to be responsible for wonderful shows such as '120 Minutes' which showcased talent like the Afghan Whigs, Juliana Hatfield and Bob Mould because the music mattered. Now MTV and the radio is rubbish. But we'll always have 'Gentlemen' and the memories. April 2, 2008

 Just misses greatness
Two-thirds of a masterpiece spotted with filler and failures; such is the most apt description of the Whigs' best record, exposing some of Greg Dulli's finest songwriting and some of his least effective. The last two tracks are pretty shrugworthy and "My Curse" is dull and resigned, but pretty much everything else is great.

Morose lead-off track, "If I Were Going," promises more than the album delivers, but it sets the tone straight for things to come: this is not the same band we heard on "Big Top Halloween." Maturity and songcraft reign on "Fountain and Fairfax" and "Now You Know," but the first half is so strong start to finish that I'm left wishing it had been an EP. The self-titled track and "Debonair" are both striking rockers with enough grooves to prove Dulli is far more than his garage punk roots would suggest and the low key "When We Two Parted" is the Whigs' best slower number to date. Despite its hiccups, this is a must-have for fans and probably the best place to start in on the band. It falls just short of being a terrific record.

Best cuts: "Gentlemen," "When We Two Parted," "What Jail Is Like," "Debonair," "If I Were Going," "Mountain and Fairfax," "Be Sweet," "Now You Know" February 12, 2008

 A true work of genius
I picked this album up as a free promo while working at a record store when it came out. I was in my late 20's. Listened to it and filed it. Flash forward 10 years and I find the disc in a box, throw it on my ipod. I listened to this record at 43 and was totally blown away. This is true work of genius; as important a record as any released in the 1990's.
The musicianship is outstanding, The lyrical content stretches beyond to genre to capture the zeitgeist of an entire generation. Clearly one of the best albums of the last 20 years. November 23, 2007

 One of the best albums ever
The look in the kids eyes on the album cover is worth the price of the CD even if the music on the disc wasn't good. November 1, 2007

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