There is something deeply intimate and moving about this new Afghan Whigs record, “Soft Control“, and that twilight mood is felt in its fullest on the opening track, “Jungle Roux“, and on the closing one, “A Simulation”: Greg Dulli takes us by the hand and leads us into emotional territory that is hard to walk away from unmoved. The elegance and delicacy of this record can be sensed even in its beautiful artwork which, much like the cover of a fine book, sets the perfect tone for what lies ahead, a record that drapes soul and black music over the bones of good old grunge, a genre for which Greg stands as a true godfather to the entire scene. The way the guitars scratch with tenderness, the way Greg’s voice brushes its emotions across the soundscape, whether carried by layered harmonies as on “House of I”, or lifted by a brass section as on the stunning, orchestral-paced “Mariah Luster”, gently caresses and cradles us in a sonic world we frankly, desperately need. Our advice is simple: give yourself the gift of this listen, because this record is quite literally burning with passion and with damn good music. And it’s no coincidence that we’ve slapped an ‘Editor’s Pick’ label on this one 😄
Soft Control (2026 – Royal Cream/BMG)
