Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Twilight Singers Take Dynamite Steps


Greg Dulli is a bit of a prolific songwriter. As a former member of the legendary Afghan Whigs and founder of The Twilight Singers, he's been associated with some pretty hefty bands over his career and even helped to define the 90's sound. So, it should come as no surprise then, that the guy has a diverse series of weapons in his arsenal and uses them as he likes. His latest album, Dynamite Steps is his latest in his arsenal, the first Twilight Singers album in five years and is an emotional experience to say the least.

Dynamite Steps like much of The Twilight Singers discography seems to center around catharsis and wringing themselves of events of the past. Dynamite Steps is an emotionally taxing record that very rarely, if ever, gets out of its funk. It's not necessarily a pop record as much as it is a therapeutic one and it really seems like someone just needs to give Dulli a hug.

Musically, Dynamite Steps is a haunting and dark record that does everything it can to hide from the light of day. It's filled with moody and wandering riffs that seem to last an eternity and swirl around you looking for a home. At times seeming like depressed rock and roll and other times seeming nearly manic depressive it's quite a difficult record to get into. The feel good hit of 2011 this is not...It's so eerie, I'm not even sure it's the feel bad hit of 2011.

Dynamite Steps is an album that will take time and effort to appreciate. If you can place yourself within Dulli's mindset this album will take on a whole new meaning and hit you right between the eyes...but if you can't it might just scare the heck out of you and force you to get help.

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