Soft Control

In the four decades since The Afghan Whigs were formed in Cincinnati, the band—led by vocalist and songwriter Greg Dulli—has evolved into one of the standard-bearers for the odd early-’90s period where college-radio staples became alt-rock stars. Their blend of rock and soul, often tempered by an attitude that balances along the precipice of self-deprecating wit and pure self-loathing, has become more tender over the years—just check out the “sha-la-la”-filled <b>“77”</b>, a clamorous companion piece of sorts to their 1998 track “66”. Like all great soul acts, The Afghan Whigs thrive when they’re locked into a groove, and on <i>Soft Control</i>, Dulli’s ragged bellow still leads the charge on cuts like the groovy <b>“Jungle Roux”</b> and the stormy <b>“Duvateen”</b>. But when they crack open their sound on tracks like <b>“The Deepest Part of the Darkest Shadow”</b>, which winds dry brass around Dulli’s laments, they show how, 40 years later, they’re still finding ways to surprise.