The Twilight Singers
Twilight As Played By…
Columbia
This CD I’ve been waiting for anxiously for a couple of years now. This collaboration headed by Afghan Whig frontman Greg Dulli, with cohorts Shawn Smith of Pigeonhed, and Harold Chichester of Howlin’ Maggie. Dulli started this project back in 1997, in New Orleans, while the Whigs were involved with their Black Love album. Put on the backburner due to touring and the next Whigs release, 1965, the Twilight Singers have now finally reached the end of their night, and it’s time to rise. Make no mistake, while definitely benefiting from the talents of Shawn Smith’s smooth vocals, Mr. Chichester’s guitar work, and also the nice addition of Screaming Trees member Barrett Martin on drums, this project is Dulli’s… The twilight singer himself. His songwriting and his singing moving along the same highways as with the Whigs, but on wings, high above the road. The lyrics are strong, and the phrases are both solid and subtle. Finally finding the time, Dulli finished the album in London, writing new songs and enlisting the aid of the ambient electronica duo, Fila Brazillia, for the production. The album starts out with a nice slow dark groove. Mellow funk shadows with that voice, that “I’m gonna swoon” sigh. You can feel the ache. Piano drifts, and the production is clean, but without being slick. There is a definite connection to both the Afghan Whigs and Pigeonhed, but this band finds it’s own bed to make, or mess up. Passion between the sheets, mixing the moods, and even when it’s sad, it’s damn sexy. The duets between Dulli and Smith are almost heartbreaking. There’s brilliant instrumentation, east Indian vibes thrown in against the down south swing. New Orleans dirty and you can stay up and dance all night. I’m so… satisfied. Twilight time again, oh yeah.
Columbia Records, 550 Madison Ave., 26th Floor, New York, NY 10022-3211
