The Afghan Whigs - What Jail Is Like

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Free Music Notes for What Jail Is Like

Free Music Review: A solid, underrated recording by the Afghan Whigs
Hit: 5 Stars

The EP opens with the song "What Jail Is Like," a harrowing tune that splices splintered guitars with chiming piano. Definitely one of the best songs from Gentlemen, this is the band at their best, a song both soothing and jarring simultaniously. A cover of the Ass Ponies' "Mr. Superlove" is a surprisingly effective song, a dark song about abuse. The lyrics are given surprising clarity over singer Greg Dulli's overdriven guitar and a *banjo* (a gesture toward the slight twang the Whigs sometimes used).

The next two tracks, James Carr's "Dark End of the Street" and the Rodgers & Hart classic "Little Girl Blue" are some of the best songs the Afghan Whigs have ever recorded. Lots of piano (thanks to Howlin' Maggie frontman/longtime Whigs goon Harold Chichester) and string accompaniment make these songs sublime and eerie (in a gorgeous way).

The last trio, live versions of "What Jail Is Like," "Now You Know," and the Supremes' "My World Is Empty Without You/I Hear a Symphony," give a great peek into the versitility of the band's live show. The band shows they're just as passionate on stage as they were in the studio.

The What Jail Is Like EP is a great recording, and probably my favorite by the Whigs. I highly recommend it.

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