2 keepers
keeper avg .191
It's been clear from his eclectic choice of covers that Greg Dulli has a deep love of popular music of several genres; after nine album he nails the point home with "She Loves You," a whole album of them. As I see Dulli mostly in terms of his most successful band The Afghan Whigs, I hear songs that sound like that band and those that don't. The chorus of Martina Topley-Bird's "Too Tough to Die"**** simply declares "I am too tough to die," which is a bit on the nose, but Dulli's delivery and arrangement are perfect for the song, with piercing Pink Floyd guitar shrieks to punctuate the chorus. Dulli was likewise born to cover Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit"****, rendering the song with "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" (The Beatles, 1969) drama and appropriate urgency. Near the end of the album, Marvin Gaye's "Please Stay (Once You Go Away)" is as faithful rendition as I could hope for while being unmistakably Whigs, and "Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair" (Traditional, arrangement Dulli) is very similar "Omerta"/"The Vampire Lanois," which concludes the "1965" album (1998). Dulli's celebratory version of Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" is not very Whigs, except for the couple of the peppier songs on "1965." It does have lots of pop appeal and in a just world (or had he released it in the 90's) it would have been big on rock radio.
The acoustic folk version of Hope Sandoval's "Feeling of Gaze" isn't typical for Dulli, but it's plenty charming; my only beef is it isn't extremely distinctive and could easily be Goo Goo Dolls. The modern production meant to embellish Skip James's stark, minimal 1931 song "Hard Time Killing Floor" makes it sound like anyone from Bon Jovi to The Black Keys. George Gershwin's "Summertime" has an evocative, almost spooky vibe that ends up just being dreary.
Dulli's version of "What Makes You Think You're the One" was an interesting one. Before I looked up its original writer, its jaunty piano-driven backing reminded me of Christine McVie; funny it's actually by Lindsey Buckingham. Also funny that Buckingham's original 1979 version from Tusk is raucous and jarringly messy compared to the Dulli's pleasant retro-rocker (complete with vamping ba-ba-ba-ba-bams, perhaps as tribute Buckingham). Though the chorus is a little muddled (as in the original), Dulli's version is at least easier on the ears.
While there are live versions of "A Love Supreme" that have a enticing, loose vibe this recorded version is little more than a dull jingle or lounge-y parody, and only serves as an intro for "Please Stay." The angular riff that drives Bjork's "Hyperballad" is a familiar ingredient of 90s midwest emo, a sound I'm partial to, but the weird multi-vocals in chorus end up ruining this one. But for the most part Twilight Singers at least do their their inspirations justice, and improve some.
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