2x****
How do you criticize the work of someone who was like an old friend that you needed for a whole period of your life? I even had high hopes as I really liked Blackberry Belle. But anyway, Amber Headlights is back in film-nior mode. "So Tight" starts with a big enough riff, but Greg comes in with some rather tuneless singing; it gets better as it goes along, but it's not the best. "Cigarette"**** has a classic stuttering Afghan Whigs riff and a big 1965 style power-pop chorus. "Domani" is a repeat of 1965's "Slide Song". "Golden Boy" is as close to a generic Goo Goo Dolls college rock pop song as Greg has ever been. "Black Swan" is a bit in the same direction. Actually so was "cigarettes" come to think of it. On "Pussywillow" I'm just not digging the unison duet vocals. "Wicked" is a repeat of "The Vampire Lanois", but without the kick-ass riff or the amazing jam at the end. "Get The Wheel"**** is an interesting piano ballad again with that nior storyline. Except for that, the album is kind of a cross between 1965 and Black Love; Greg Dulli - go figure. I guess that's the problem with having a sizeable body of work for your later work to be judged against.
How do you criticize the work of someone who was like an old friend that you needed for a whole period of your life? I even had high hopes as I really liked Blackberry Belle. But anyway, Amber Headlights is back in film-nior mode. "So Tight" starts with a big enough riff, but Greg comes in with some rather tuneless singing; it gets better as it goes along, but it's not the best. "Cigarette"**** has a classic stuttering Afghan Whigs riff and a big 1965 style power-pop chorus. "Domani" is a repeat of 1965's "Slide Song". "Golden Boy" is as close to a generic Goo Goo Dolls college rock pop song as Greg has ever been. "Black Swan" is a bit in the same direction. Actually so was "cigarettes" come to think of it. On "Pussywillow" I'm just not digging the unison duet vocals. "Wicked" is a repeat of "The Vampire Lanois", but without the kick-ass riff or the amazing jam at the end. "Get The Wheel"**** is an interesting piano ballad again with that nior storyline. Except for that, the album is kind of a cross between 1965 and Black Love; Greg Dulli - go figure. I guess that's the problem with having a sizeable body of work for your later work to be judged against.
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