Afghan Whigs Relinquish ‘Control’ On 10th Album

Afghan Whigs Relinquish ‘Control’ On 10th Album

Afghan Whigs Relinquish ‘Control’ On 10th Album

(photo: Royal Cream)

When SPIN caught up with Greg Dulli in April as the Afghan Whigs prepared to celebrate their 40th anniversary, the frontman was already speaking enthusiastically about the band’s forthcoming 10th album. He described then-new single “Duvateen” as “the emotional heart of the record” and “one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written,” while teasing a collection of songs that were “eclectic and disparate, but they can hang.”

Now, the full picture has emerged. The Whigs will release Soft Control on Aug. 21 via Royal Cream/BMG. The announcement arrives alongside a new single, “Jungle Roux,” and an expanded slate of North American and European tour dates for the fall.

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The new album follows the recent one-two punch of “House of I” and “Duvateen,” songs that offered early clues about the record’s range. As Dulli told SPIN, “House of I” was born from a hypnotic drum pattern he heard in a video of a school marching band performance and became “one of the fastest songs I ever wrote,” adding that it “made me want to run as fast as I can.”

While Soft Control continues the Whigs’ tradition of combining bruising guitars with soul and R&B influences, Dulli suggests the perspective behind the songs has changed. In announcing the album, he reflected on the distance between the anger that fueled his early work and the mindset that drives him now. “I’ve worked hard on my inner peace,” Dulli said. “I was an angry young man, and it fueled my art, ambition and my drive. … Now, I know what I’m doing and there’s a quiet confidence that comes with being able to back it up.”

That sense of perspective aligns with what Dulli recently told SPIN about reaching the band’s 40th anniversary. Looking back on the group’s history, he expressed gratitude for the journey and the long hiatus that separated the Afghan Whigs’ first and second acts. “Everybody went and lived their own life,” he said. “And then when we hooked back up, we were ready.”

Recorded in Joshua Tree, New Orleans, East Hollywood and Cincinnati, Soft Control was distilled from 22 songs — the largest batch Dulli has written for a Whigs album. True to form, he ultimately pared the project down to a concise 10-song statement. “I’ve been super fond of the 10-song album for the last 20 years,” he told SPIN. “And if you can’t say it in 10 songs, you should… do whatever you want.”

The album also reunites Dulli with guitarist, producer and frequent collaborator Christopher Thorn, whom he praised in April as “one of my favorite artistic relationships I’ve ever had” and “as good as there is on the planet.” Other guests include former drummer Patrick Keeler, My Morning Jacket keyboardist Bo Koster and singer/violinist Petra Haden.

To support the release, the Whigs will return to the road this fall. Night Moves will open North American dates beginning Nov. 4 in Orlando, Fl, while acclaimed British singer/songwriter Ed Harcourt joins for the U.K. and European run starting Sept. 19 in Leeds.

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.

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