Random Desire

It was never a secret that Greg Dulli was the (relatively) benevolent dictator of the Afghan Whigs, especially on the groups reunion albums of the 2010s, 2014s Do to the Beast and 2017s In Spades, which retained the name and the thematic obsessions of the Whigs best work of the 90s but with a decidedly different lineup and musical approach. By the end, the Afghan Whigs were Dulli and whoever else he chose to bring along, and presumably tired of the ruse, hes chosen to cut out the middlemen and issued his first solo album, 2020s Random Desire, which does a better job of fleshing out his musical and thematic tropes than he managed on Do to the Beast and In Spades. Random Desire doesnt rock like prime Whigs, but the rhythmic patterns and melodic shifts have Dulli written all over them, and the less aggressive attack suits this set of songs, which, now as always, are a product of his poisonous fascination with romantic/sexual conquest. Dulli laid down the bulk of the backing tracks by himself, while bringing in guests to fancy them up with horns, strings, pedal steel, and extra guitar; the effect leaves the performances a bit rough around the edges, but in a way that adds more than it takes away. Its also a good complement for Dullis voice, which isnt as strong or precise as it once was yet still communicates an urgency thats riveting, though with the passage of time hes lost a bit of his prideful swagger, which is also reflected in the lyrics. Here the Greg Dulli character is more aware than ever of his flaws, even though he still does nothing to change them, and that self-knowledge gives the music a keen, edgy vibe. Random Desire doesnt necessarily sound like the Afghan Whigs in their glory days, but it does a much better job of summoning the emotional energy and musical tension that made Congregation and Gentlemen classics, and its the best music hes made since the end of the Whigs first era. ~ Mark Deming