lambchops's Full Review: She Loves You by The Twilight Singers
Ah yes…the mysterious cover album. Where does it come from? Why does it exist? How is it that they draw me in? Tori Amos (Strange Little Girls), Duran Duran (Thank You), Guns n’ Roses (The Spaghetti Incident), and John Lennon (Rock n’ Roll) have all recorded one of these rare specimens. The good thing about cover albums is that when done right they are brilliant, entertaining, and immediately engaging creatures. However not all the songs are usually that great—there always seem to be clunkers in the bunch.
In 2004, Greg Dulli’s (Afghan Whigs) side project The Twilight Singers released a third album. While the first two were originals, the third was chock full of covers. The choices are by and large unusual and run the gamut between classic jazz to R&B and from classic rock to electronica. It’s an odd mix to be sure, but as with the band’s 2003 album Blackberry Belle I can’t stop listening. I admittedly miss Dulli’s writing but I also appreciate his keen ability to re-interpret familiar songs. Along with vocalist Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees) and a host of less-known musicians Dulli crafts a provocative and creative album. He steps back for a moment and recognizes great songs written by great songwriters. In a way I see albums like She Loves You as the ultimate artistic dedication. You know you’ve “made it” when your song is covered.
By its very nature, She Loves You is about the music. It’s not about Dulli nor is it even about The Twilight Singers. It is about those songs which have been inspirational and entertaining. While touring, the band covered many of these songs which in turn explains the creation of this album and their resemblance to earlier material. Here as on other releases, Dulli creates dusky tones and melancholic sounds. While I do enjoy the slow, mysterious sounds of Feeling of Gaze and Too Tough to Die it is Bjork’s Hyperballad that really catches my attention. Dulli takes a beautiful yet insane song and creates something new. It doesn’t even vaguely sound like the original which makes it even more fascinating. Replacing Bjork’s yowls and growls with smooth and emotional vocals and instruments instead of synthesizers Hyperballad morphs into something surprisingly lovely.
Strange Fruit is another outstanding song. Best known as performed by legendary vocalist Billie Holiday the song takes on new shape and meaning when reinterpreted as a rock ballad. Dulli’s voice is stirring and as backed by Mark Lanegan’s guttural voice the song proves to be both deep in meaning and in thick in emotion. The first real change of pace comes with a reinterpretation of the Fleetwood Mac track What Makes You Think You’re the One. Atypically upbeat with waterfalls of guitars and pianos, it comes as a pleasant surprise.
Like Hyperballad, the popular Mary J. Blige song Real Love is also an unexpected choice. Dulli replaces the hip R&B/dance beats with droning guitars and pleasant percussion. The melody is still very recognizable though I still quiver as the artist sings that familiar chorus. I can’t help but be drawn to the upbeat melody paired with a dark, obtuse bass guitar. Breaking things up, we are next greeted by the lovely blues track most famously performed by Buddy Guy, Hard Time Killing Floor. It’s so simple and beautiful that for just a moment Dulli is no longer an alt-rock god. Instead he’s a genius classic bluesman. Continuing on in a blues direction, A Love Supreme from John Coltrane is next on the docket. Sensual, stylish, and subtle the song is easily one of the best on She Loves You.
Dulli’s work doesn’t fade away as the album draws to a close. His rendition of Please Stay is heartbreakingly gorgeous. The traditional Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair is updated into a pensive alt-pop opus. It works beautifully and helps to bring She Loves You to an end. Summertime puts an unnecessary exclamation point on this already incredibly album. The slow, tragic track leaves the listener with senses of emptiness and awe.
I waited a long time to buy She Loves You for fear that it would tarnish my opinion of The Twilight Singers. Fortunately, Dulli has once again proven that his side project may be even more relevant than his main musical venture. This is an outstanding covers album. It belongs in every collection of alternative music and should be appreciated by fans of Dulli, his Twilight Singers, or his Afghan Whigs.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Feeling of Gaze (Hope Sandoval)
02. Too Tough to Die (Martina Topley-Bird)
03. Hyperballad (Bjork)
04. Strange Fruit (Lewis Allan, Billie Holiday)
05. What Makes You Think You’re the One (Fleetwood Mac)
06. Real Love (Mary J. Blige)
07. Hard Time Killing Floor (Skip James, Buddy Guy)
08. A Love Supreme (John Coltrane)
09. Please Stay (Once You Go Away) (Marvin Gaye)
10. Black is the Color of My True Love’s Hair (Traditional)
11. Summertime (George Gershwin/Dubose Heyward, Janis Joplin)
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