CD: Afghan Whigs - Do to the Beast | reviews, news & interviews

CD: Afghan Whigs - Do to the Beast

Sub poppers fail to enthuse after 16-year break

by Guy OddyThursday, 03 April 2014

Afghan Whigs: Do to the Beast

About 25 years ago, the Cult decided that they were going to turn the punk/alternative crowd onto “classic rock”. While they were widely derided by most of the music press of the time, they did manage to increase their record sales immeasurably. The Afghan Whigs are also admirers of seventies’ guitar music, with band leader Greg Dulli previously stating that he wanted them to sound like a mix of the Band, the Temptations and Neil Young in Crazy Horse mode.

While the Afghan Whigs may have achieved their artistic aim on Do to the Beast, the band’s first album since 1998’s 1965, it seems an unlikely vehicle to revive their fortunes.

Opening track, “Parked outside”, implies how the Jim Jones Revue might sound if they were infatuated with the Blue Oyster Cult rather than Jerry Lee Lewis. Big fat guitar chords and a strident tempo get things going well enough and also characterise second tune, “Matamoros”. After this, however, things go rapidly downhill. “Algiers” begins like something from Neil Young’s acoustic back catalogue but soon threatens to tip into a parody of Boston’s “More than a feeling”. “Lost in the woods” similarly shimmies towards soft rock territory, with plenty of yelling of “Sweet baybeee!”, while any video that might be made for “The Lottery” is just begging to feature either a wind machine or lots of long-shots of desert scenery. Do to the Beast is slightly revived by final tune, “These sticks”. This comes across in the same vein as Led Zeppelin’s take on “Babe, I’m gonna leave you” with added brass. However, it is not enough to justify the existence of this retro dullness.

Do to the Beast is basically Seventies and early Eighties flared-trousered, rawk music repackaged for a 21^st-century indie/alt rock audience, already weaned on the likes of Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters and Wolfmother. Approach with caution.

Do to the Beast is flared-trousered, rawk music repackaged for a 21st-century indie/alt rock audience

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I totally disagree with

Permalink Submitted by Eddie (not verified) on Fri, 04/04/2014 - 18:31

I totally disagree with everything about this review, but it's so poorly written that I'm not overly fussed with staging a counter-attack. For those who get it, this record is an excellent addendum to the Whigs' storied career.

Hey…whoever wrote this…"GUY

Permalink Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 05/04/2014 - 06:35

Hey…whoever wrote this…"GUY ODDY". I strongly suggest you find something else to do with your life other than do this. Did you write this article at the last minute? Seconds away from a deadline, beer drunk on Pabst? Any fool who uses the word "Wolfmother" in describing anything related to the Afghan Whigs loses all credibility. Be better at life, friend.

Wow. Could this be any more

Permalink Submitted by mamacita75 (not verified) on Sat, 05/04/2014 - 14:10

Wow. Could this be any more off? Perhaps you should actually read lyrics before passing judgment on songs. Sounds like you wouldn't recognize quality music if it hit you in the balls. and lastly, wtf is wrong with the 70s? And insulting QOTSA is just a crime. You, sir can go back to your Lana Del Rey and sad stack of rehashed pop music.

Wow; you managed to insult me

Permalink Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sun, 06/04/2014 - 20:22

Wow; you managed to insult me of my favorite bands by bashing the Cult, QOTSA and Afghan Whigs. None of whom sound similar to each other. This review just makes no sense in any capacity.

Yeah, there is no legislating

Permalink Submitted by Tom Regan (not verified) on Sun, 06/04/2014 - 23:51

Yeah, there is no legislating for taste and opinion but this is a dreadfully-written and poorly-argued piece of criticism that shows a pretty profound ignorance of this band in particular and rock music in general. The point about The Afghan Whigs is that they're going for the source of all that "baby baby please", as opposed to the cliches and postures. This is in fact soul music, as opposed to "rawk".

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