The Gutter Twins - Saturnalia

One Of The Best Albums In Years

I've been a fan of Mark Lanegan's for a long time and I love both his solo work and his work with the Screaming Trees, and I have more recently become a fan of the Afghan Whigs as well, and this album is a beautiful reflection of the attributes that attracted me to both artists. It contains potent lyrics and a haunting dark sound that resounds thoughout every song on the album. Although I don't like it quite as well as I like some of Lanegan's solo works, I believe this album is one of the best to come out in years and I would put it above any other music of this time period. I also note that I agree with one of the other reviewers in that Saturnalia leans more toward the Greg Dulli side than that of Mark Lanegan. Either way, an awesome album that everyone should buy. June 23, 2008

This Much Anticipated Album Really Delivers

This is a much anticipated album for previous Screaming Trees or Afghan Whigs fans. The Gutter Twins is put together by alternative rock/indie/grunge music faves Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees and solo projects) and Greg Dulli (Afghan Whigs). This project has been talked about or rumored as early as 2000, but was confirmed in 2003, however it didn't get released until a big five years later. It definitely has that early '90's sound to it. I don't know why it took so long to come out, but I have always loved Mark Lanegan's voice. With The Gutter Twins he still sounds amazing. It brings me back memories of those early '90's with kool-aid dyed hair and flannel shirts that you'd buy at the local thrift store. Mark Lanegan has always been an excellent musician/singer/guitarist, who has been so under-appreciated throughout the years.

Saturnalia sings with the vibe of troubles mixed with religion. Songs like "The Body" about salivation and "Idle Hands" have a religious over tone them. Of course, a lot of the songs have lyrics that you would expect of Lanegan, deep and thoughtful, like struggles between good and evil. "Who Will Lead Us" is probably the albums' prayer like folk anthem, giving a touch of reality. Both musicians have just gotten better with age. I can't wait to hear what them come out with next. June 1, 2008

Awsome

Simple one of the best albums to come out in the past year. Rock is still alive. Dulli is at his best. Just no to american idol. May 28, 2008

Greg Dulli-side project continues his winning ways

Looking at many of the reviews here, it appears you either come to this album as a fan of Greg Dulli (The Twilight Singers; Afghan Whigs) or as a fan of Mark Lanegan (The Screaming Trees). Let me state upfront that I am a pretty big Greg Dulli fan. After all he built his initial successes in my very own Cincinnati when he lead the Afghan Whigs in the late 80s and early 90s.

"Saturnalia" (12 tracks; 53 min.)continues a collaboration between Dulli and Lanegan that was started on several tracks on the excellent 2003 Twilight Singers "Blackberry Belle" album. "Saturnalia" crashes in with "The Stations" and then takes off from there. The dark and brooding "All Misery/Flowers" is my favorite track of the album, with great underlying drums (played by Dulli, incidentally) and the songs just drones on (and I mean that in the best of ways), just fabulous. Other highlights include "Idle hands", the pensive "I Was In Love With You" and "Each to Each". The closer "Front Street" (starting off very quitetly and acoustic) somehow feels out of place with the rest of the album and should have been kept off the album.

Most (but not all) of the songs are co-written by Dulli and Lanegan but let's be honest: this feels much more like a Greg Dulli album, and in fact "Saturnalia" fits in musically very nicely along with the Twilight Singers' catalog. One of the reviewers who gave rated this album only 2 stars wrote "Not Enough Lanegan For Me", and I can certainly understand that. For me, I'm quite happy with this realease. May 24, 2008

My Album of the Year!

I am a huge fan of Lanegan. I loved his work with Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age but was never much into his quieter solo work or of Dulli/Afghan Whigs.

I was reluctant to give this album a shot, but did so out of shear loyalty to Mark Lanegan hoping it would be like his solo album "Bubblegum." Boy was I wrong. I listened to the first few bars of the first two songs and they were dark and rich and immediately swept me away. The production is excellent. The harmonies are wonderful. This disc is diverse and covers a lot of ground. Both their voices compliment one another in a strange way. The album is dark and brooding and moves like the current. I am particularly fond of "God's Children."

If you left the QOTSA album saying to yourself "Wow, wish there was more Lanegan here...." this record is for you. It has claimed the Album of the Year spot for me. May 21, 2008

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