Gentlemen

I'm from the same part of the world as Afghan Whigs (in fact guitarist Rick McCollum & I made wings together at a Buffalo Wild Wings in fall '89) so Gentlemen was a big deal back in '93 - a record I liked a lot and spent some time with. Years went by and paths diverged and I stopped listening to it, and record collections disappeared and. changed and I no longer even had the means to hear it anymore. Do to the Beast revived my love for the Whigs and Gentlemen at 21 reaffirms everything I thought 23 years ago. Same time, the record sounds richer, deeper, even more fully realized than I understood at 26. No one makes rock records like this anymore. A pity, too, as Gentlemen more than stands up - now it sounds like one of the best records of its era. Not a false note or a misstep from start to finish. Perfection.

Great album and an all time classic which is clearly five star music and some of the best released of the grunge/alternative era of the late 80's through mid 90's. I just received the deluxe 3 lp vinyl edition ($33 including shipping) and have mixed feelings on the mastering which seems a little hot and loud to me. Repeated listens will be necessary. It sounds quite nice but I wanted to hear some others opinions specifically about the mastering and transfer to vinyl? It seems to be missing that analogue greatness that I was hoping for. Still very happy to have a vinyl copy of it. I did not hear that much variation in the demo tracks but the 3rd lp which has the What Jail Is Like EP is great. Overall, solid and five star music but slightly disappointed in the mastering of this. I will change my review if I feel differently after repeated listening.

So I was somehow unaware of this album until the reissue came out in 2014. (I didn't listen to the radio much, and have never really watched videos, so they were inexplicably off my radar.) It is a post-grunge classic album, with lyrics and music taking a wrenching look at a broken/breaking relationship. There is not a weak track on the main disc, which is a careful remaster of the original.The second disc is a treat too. (When I bought it, the listing made it look like there were three discs, but there were only two - all the songs on the listing are on the two discs, so no problem there.) The demos are particularly good and stand up well to the original release. The outtakes are a bit more spotty, but still worth listening to.Overall, this is a classic album.

When you think of 90s alternative, the go-to bands have always been Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots. Sadly, there were so many awesome bands that went largely unnoticed amongst their more successful peers and The Afghan Whigs most certainly top that list. The intensity of their songs combined with the power of Greg Dulli's voice and the anger of his lyrics made for some incredible listening and very intense live shows. Gentlemen was the apex in their catalog. This is a must have for any fan of the era, and really for any fan of music. Buy it. You'll be happy that you did.

This record changed my life in terms of how I listen and enjoy music. "Ready" the b-side track, is one of the coolest Whigs songs I've ever heard. Also the 33 1/3rd book on Gentlemen is terrific and highly recommended since they interviewed Greg Dulli and a lot of the folks involved with making it.

Been waiting a real long time for this, you know 21 years, and did does not disappoint. The demos on here, raw and primal, are worth the price of admission alone. But, get this y'all -- live and unreleased songs are incredible, along with the original LP remastered. If you're a fan of the Afghan Whigs this is a must own.

Come on. Who buys this record and not love the the Whigs? If you buy the 21st anniversary edition it should be an auto 5 star rating. Seriously

One of the best rock albums ever released.

I missed the party first time around. Like so many people back in the 1990’s I was vaguely aware of a band called Afghan Whigs- strange name, I thought- but I assumed they were a Pearl Jam / Soundgarden / insert name of dull grunge band here type of deal.What a mistake.Afghan Whigs were- and remain- one of the most remarkable bands ever, a heady mix of rock swagger and soul strut. Dulli and co fused classic American rock with the low-slung beat and swing of prime 70’s funk and the precision and drive of classic Motown, producing what Gram Parsons called ‘cosmic American music.’ As Parsons blended southern soul with classic country, the Whigs do the same with gritty urban soul- Isaac Hayes, Curtis Mayfield, late period Temptations- and hard driving guitar music.Gentlemen is where all these elements come together as a spellbinding whole, an album of songs where Greg Dulli rages against lost loves, false friends and more than anything else, his own failings. The songs are brutally honest, and it can make uncomfortable listening as Dulli opens up his messed up life for our inspection. Intense- ‘Since you're aware of the consequences, I can pin what's left of this wreck on you’ is a typical lyric- beautifully played and arranged, this album deserves your attention, In fact, all their work does. Do yourself a favour and get involved- it’s better to be late to a party than never arriving at all.

A superb album full of the usual Whigs themes - lust, desire, betrayal, sex, and dark soul. The remastered album sounds great and the second disc of demos, soul covers, and live performances is great too - particularly for their heartbreaking version of "Dark End Of The Street". Greg Dulli has essentially been writing the same song over and over again for ever, including with the wonderful Twilight Singers, but it really works.

Genius. Dulli and the Whigs really hit their stride with this great album.

Great album

First class