"This is a prototype site"

Super Saturnalia

Melodic and haunting

by Rick Lambert

Last year, Mark Lanegan and Greg Dulli finally put their other projects behind them, at least for the time being, and booked their own studio time, recording their first album together as “The Gutter Twins”, Saturnalia. This project clearly showcases the strengths of each artist individually and collectively multiplies it with this collaboration. Saturnalia exhibits how music can also be an artform.

The album starts out with “The Station”, a melodic and haunting track both lyrically and instrumentally. Lanegan’s voice harmonizing with Dulli’s is just the sign of things to come throughout the rest of this album. Blending like a night-time dj’s segueway beautifully into “God’s Children”, Dulli brings a touch of his Afghan Whigs style, all the while complimenting Lanegan’s vocal range.

“All Misery/Flowers”, the third track, begins with Lanegan’s trademark crooning that makes you feel the misery that the lyrics spell out. Can anyone better than Lanegan express such pain with song? Again, he has few peers in that area. “The Body” follows and lays out how well these two were meant to sing together. The song is one constant harmonic conversion.

Track five is the first one we were given a few weeks back and the most rocking on the album. “Idle Hands” is a perfect mix of Lanegan’s Screaming Trees’ sound and Dulli’s old Afghan Whigs sound. Greg begins the vocal lead on the following cut, “Circle The Fringes”, which eventually morphs into the deep, mischievous sound of Lanegan joining in.

Seven and eight tracks in, we get a soulful rendition of “Who Will Lead Us Now” and the heavy-hearted “Seven Stories Underground”. I closed my eyes during these songs and let them engulf me as if I were personally being serenaded in a church of my own mind.

While the song “I Was In Love With You” sounds like it could be on Abbey Road, “Bete Noire” contrasts it with something strangely mesmerizing as it mixes into “Each To Each”, a song recorded in Arcadia in July 2007. The album wraps up with an almost adult lullaby “Front Street”, ending the album as hauntingly as it began. It was well worth the wait.

 

Forums

>>more forums

Comments

juno: They shouldn't use the name Alice in Chains anymore. I think they should rename the band.

naturegirl: Mark Arm looks awesome in every picture ever taken of him. I wish I had that ability.

Foz: I can't believe Foo Fighters are going on hiatus. Bummmer…

montana: Has anyone heard Jeff Ament's solo album? How is it?
>>read more comments