The Afghan Whigs - Congregation and Gentlemen

The Afghan Whigs earned a cult following during the early 90's with their music that mixed the Motown sound and R&B with indie and alternative rock.

Formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1986, The Afghan Whigs were led by singer-songwriter Greg Dulli whose songs presented vivid stories of broken relationships, obsession, guilt and toxic masculinity.

The music was full of emotional anguish and the lyrics were introspective, dark, and mature behind Dulli's intense and gravelly vocals. The band's signature sound was a fusing of the passionate vocals with melodic guitars, gritty alternative rock of the grunge era, and soul and funk influences.

It was all of this that separated the band from their peers in the early 90’s, and resulted in The Afghan Whigs as being one of the most critically acclaimed alternative bands of the 1990s.

Their work was best represented on 1992's album, Congregation, where the band found their signature sound, and the critically acclaimed cinematic masterpiece from 1993, Gentlemen, which is considered a landmark, unapologetic breakup album.

In this episode we will discuss the early years of the band with a focus on their two classic albums, Congregation and Gentlemen.