In-between fronting the Afghan Whigs and now the Twilight Singers, Greg Dulli’s done everything from buy, manage and successfully run his own bar to accidentally punch-out the doctor who revived him after a near fatal drugs overdose left him unconscious on an airport terminal floor. He’s well-qualified to sing about life’s highs and its lows, and if he knows anything about the in-between then he’s wise enough to realise it’s not worth telling. That’s why people still flock to watch him perform live, at least.

Tonight, especially, as the inclusion of Mark Lanegan doubles the number of mercurial cult heroes on the bill and bumps the venue up a size. Lanegan’s intermittent contributions leave the crowd wanting more, but suitably reflect his character: he is solemn, imposing and holds unnerving focus while the Twilight Singers shake, rattle and contort around him. As Dulli cracks the sky with anguished howl, he closes his eyes and barrels home his lines. It’s like being hit by a runaway train firing through a busted dam of hot molasses. That he rarely makes it out of the mix cleanly speaks volumes for the raw chemistry on show; the set can afford to fray around the edges and still everyone remains captivated.

Two hours and two encores later, Dulli’s suavely wound things down by shoring up behind the keyboard for a couple of solo numbers, but not before he’s snatched a cameraphone from the frow row for a personalized snapshot and, slightly surreally, dished out health tips to a punter who sneezes on him. “Take vitamin C,” he advises with mock-seriousness. Such playfulness, coupled with the starkness of his darker material, makes the dose that he, his band and Lanegan are pushing tonight feel like a wickedly illicit hit from a masterfully controlled substance.

Alistair Lawrence

Tracklisting:
1. toward the waves
2. i’m ready
3. there’s been an accident
4. bonnie brae
5. forty dollars
6. candy cane crawl
7. underneath the waves
8. my time (has come)
9. dead to rights
10. the conversation
11. powder burns
12. i wish i was

Released: May 16, 2006
Label: One Little Indian
Powder Burns Album Reviews

One Little Indian UK #438TP7CD

1. Too Tough to Die (Topley-Bird)
2. Hard Time Killing Floor (James)

1-feeling of gaze
2-too tough to die
3-hyperballad
4-strange fruit
5-what makes you think you’re the one
6-real love
7-hard time killing floor
8-a love supreme
9-please stay
10-black is the color of my true love’s hair
11-summertime

Released Aug 24, 2004
One Little Indian OLI 426

LP (Vinyl) Release Jan 24, 2005
Uncensored photo cover 120 gram virgin vinyl gatefold
Includes unreleased recording of “Her Majesty” by the Beatles
Birdman bmr071
LP Photos/Info

Feathers
Number Nine

One LIttle Indian
Recorded: 2003
Released: January 26, 2004

UK Only
Limited edition 7″ single

From the cover sticker:
Featuring Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan
“I want to hear this on every ‘Late Night Love Affair’ type FM request show.” [Careless Talk]

“This is widescreen, sinuous, tender, and sick at heart sweep through nightworld’s emotional wreckage.” [Bang]

Back:
All songs written by Dulli
Artist listing for each track

Feathers
Number Nine

January 2004
One Little Indian UK

White label CD promo in plastic sleeve.

Martin Eden (dulli)
Esta Noche (dulli/schneeberger)
Teenage Wristband (dulli)
St. Gregory (dulli/tobias)
The Killer (dulli/phillips)
Decatur St. (dulli)
Papillon (dulli)
Follow You Down (dulli)
Feathers (dulli)
Fat City (Slight Return) (dulli)
Number Nine (dulli)

Japanese edition includes the track “Wicked”

Recorded 2003
Released: October 14, 2003 US
Vinyl Release: Nov 29, 2005

In order of appearance:
Greg Dulli – vocals/guitar/piano/keyboards/rhodes/mellotron/drums
Mathias Schneeberger – guitar/rhodes/mellotron/clavinet/piano
Scott Ford – bass, Jon Skibic – guitars/vocal/banjo
Greg Wieczorec – drums/vocals/percussion
Kamasi Washington – saxaphone
Josh Lampkins – trombone
Chris Gray – trumpet
Petra Haden – vocals, violins
Apollonia Kotero – vocals
Steve Myers – vocals
Michael Sullivan – bass
Jesse Tobias – ebow/guitar
Hoss – drums
Alvin Youngblood-Hart – lapsteel
Chris Phillips – synth loop/drums
Matt Hergert – drums
Rick Steff – clavinet
Brian Young – drums
Nikki Crawford – vocals
Amay – vocals
Stanton Moore – drums
Ashlie Philastre – the clap
Susan Phillips – the clap
Mark Lanegan – vocal
Richard Ford – pedal steel
Rick Steff – organ

Shot on location in Los Angeles, New Orleans, and Memphis.

Produced by Mike Napolitano, Mathias Schneeberger, and Greg Dulli.

CD One Little Indian OLI401
Vinyl: Plain plain116lp
Vinyl info: white vinyl gatefold includes “Run Rabbit Run” demo

Recorded: 2003
Released: October, 2003

Limited edition of 777 records, available to subscribers of DIW magazine. Appeared in issue 5.3, October 2003. “Heart and Soul…One Will Burn” inscribed on the wax. Black vinyl with gold label. Also includes tracks by American Analog Set and Jeff Hanson.

DIW #64

*track not available commercially

Released September 2003

“From the forthcoming CD and LP titled Blackberry Belle by the Twilight Singers created by Greg Dulli of the Afghan Whigs.”

Produced by Mike Napolitano, Mathias Schneeberger, and Greg Dulli. All tracks written by Dulli except for track 2 written by Dulli/Phillips.

One Little Indian # OLI394

“So Tight was on the album right up until the last minute, then we cut Esta
Noche and decided it fit the album better.”
-Scott Ford

Recorded 2003

Produced and mixed by Smash and Dash, except *produced and mixed by Yin and Yang.

Photography: Chris Cuffaro
Design: Caroline de Vita
Model: Dita Von Tesse

CD Birdman Recording Group BMR50