Twilight Singers

Greg Dulli has managed his career like a recently single, middle-aged man. Eschewing the vital after-break-up internalizing period for a whirlwind of liaisons, Dulli has kept himself manically busy since his Afghan Whigs disbanded over a decade ago. After a five-year hiatus, which saw him release a solo LP, a collaboration with Mark Lanegan (as the Gutter Twins) and an Afghan Whigs reunion tour, Dulli's the Twilight Singers return with LP number five, Dynamite Steps. The combination of warbling arrangements, glassy-eyed melodies and muffled dynamics allows songs like "Get Lucky" and "She Was Stolen" to accurately capture Dulli's ability to both employ and transcend typical rock'n'roll clichés. "Last Night in Town" and "The Beginning of the End" present Dulli in his preferred light: a man at the end of his rope. But, of course, it's all theatrics, as Dynamite Steps delivers another collection of songs that reinforce the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."