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Black Love (The Afghan Whigs album)

{{about||the American TV series|BlackLove (2015 TV series){{!}}#BlackLove|the Carlos Garnett album|Black Love (Carlos Garnett album)}}

{{Infobox album|

| name = Black Love

| type = Album

| artist = the Afghan Whigs

| cover = Black Love (Afghan Whigs album).jpg

| alt =

| released = March 12, 1996

| recorded = August–September 1995

| venue =

| studio = *Bear Creek (Woodinville, Washington)

  • Robert Lang (Shoreline, Washington){{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/The-Afghan-Whigs-Black-Love/release/398335|title=The Afghan Whigs – Black Love (1996, CD)|date=1996 |publisher=Discogs}}

| genre =

  • Alternative rock
  • soul{{cite web|last=Stone|first=Aug|date=October 24, 2016|title=This Time We Go A Little Lower: The Afghan Whigs' Black Love 25 Years On|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/21187-afghan-whigs-black-love-review-anniversary|access-date=May 10, 2022|website=The Quietus}}
  • progressive soul{{cite magazine|last=Lim|first=Dennis|date=November 1998|title=The Afghan Whigs – 1965|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lgxVa5s7idEC&pg=PT16|magazine=Spin|publisher=SPIN Media LLC|volume=14|issue=11|page=16|issn=0886-3032|access-date=April 23, 2023}}

| length = 51:56

| label = Elektra

| producer = Greg Dulli

| prev_title = Gentlemen

| prev_year = 1993

| next_title = 1965

| next_year = 1998

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Black Love

| type = studio

| single1 = Honky's Ladder

| single1date = February 20, 1996

| single2 = Going to Town

| single2date = July 22, 1996

}}

}}

Black Love is the fifth album by the band the Afghan Whigs, released in March 1996.{{Citation |title=The Afghan Whigs - Black Love Album Reviews, Songs & More {{!}} AllMusic |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-love-mw0000183632 |access-date=2023-10-27 |language=en}} It was released by Elektra Records/Sub Pop in the US and by Mute in Europe, and was produced by Greg Dulli. Black Love was preceded by the single "Honky's Ladder" and followed by the single "Going to Town" (also released as the Bonnie & Clyde EP in the US).

Prior to this album's release, lead singer Greg Dulli seriously explored producing a movie in the film noir genre, but despite his optioning at least one book, the movie was never made. Dulli's ideas for a soundtrack led to the songs recorded on this album.

The album was reissued on November 25, 2016, on Rhino Records, in celebration of the 20th anniversary of its initial release. The 20th anniversary reissue was released as a double CD and triple LP, and includes nine previously-unreleased tracks.{{cite web|last=Sodomsky|first=Sam|date=October 17, 2016|title=The Afghan Whigs Announce Black Love 20th Anniversary Reissue|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/69069-the-afghan-whigs-announce-black-love-20th-anniversary-reissue/|access-date=July 12, 2017|website=Pitchfork}}

Critical reception

{{Album ratings

|rev1=AllMusic

|rev1score={{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/black-love-mw0000183632|title=Black Love – The Afghan Whigs|last=Deming|first=Mark|author-link=Mark Deming|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=September 24, 2017}}

|rev2=Chicago Tribune

|rev2score={{rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-04-04/features/9604040299_1_afghan-whigs-greg-dulli-black-love |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121107140431/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1996-04-04/features/9604040299_1_afghan-whigs-greg-dulli-black-love |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 7, 2012 |title=Afghan Whigs Black Love (Elektra)|last=Kot |first=Greg |date=April 4, 1996 |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=September 24, 2017 |author-link=Greg Kot}}

|rev3=Christgau's Consumer Guide

|rev3score={{rating-Christgau|hm1}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xVQbszFuEGMC |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s |last=Christgau |first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau |date=October 15, 2000 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=9780312245603 |pages=2 |chapter=Afghan Whigs |chapter-url=http://robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=afghan}}

|rev4=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev4score={{rating|4|5}}{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin (writer)|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|date=2011|publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=9780857125958|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC|page=2011}}

|rev5=Entertainment Weekly

|rev5score=C{{cite magazine |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist) |date=March 22, 1996 |title=Black Love |url=https://ew.com/article/1996/03/22/black-love/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly }}

|rev6=Los Angeles Times

|rev6score={{rating|3|4}}{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-17-ca-47882-story.html |title=*** THE AFGHAN WHIGS, "Black Love", Elektra |last=Cromelin |first=Richard |date=March 17, 1996 |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=September 24, 2017}}

|rev7=Rolling Stone

|rev7score={{rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Strauss |first=Neil |author-link=Neil Strauss |date=February 2, 1998 |title=Afghan Whigs: Black Love : Music Reviews |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/afghanwhigs/albums/album/108593/review/5944383/black_love |magazine=Rolling Stone |archive-url=https://archive.today/20070518205122/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/afghanwhigs/albums/album/108593/review/5944383/black_love |archive-date=May 18, 2007 |access-date=May 19, 2018 |url-status=dead }}

|rev8=(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide

|rev8score={{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac |url-access=registration |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |last1=Brackett |first1=Nathan |last2=Hoard |first2=Christian David |publisher=Simon and Schuster |year=2004 |isbn=9780743201698 |pages=[https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA9 9]}}

|rev9=San Francisco Chronicle

|rev9score={{rating|4|5}}{{cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/POP-CDS-No-Love-Lost-for-Afghan-Whigs-2991135.php |title=POP CDS – No 'Love' Lost for Afghan Whigs |last=Hamlin |first=Jesse |date=March 10, 1996 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |access-date=May 20, 2018}}

|rev10=Spin

|rev10score=8/10{{cite magazine |last=Hunter |first=James |date=April 1, 1996 |title=Records |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JheoECFjDqMC&pg=PA111 |magazine=Spin |publisher=SPIN Media LLC |pages=111–2}}

}}

Upon its initial release, Black Love received mixed reviews from critics, who generally considered it inferior to its predecessor Gentlemen.{{cite web |url=https://www.popmatters.com/afghanwhigs-blacklovemft-2495823542.html |title=The Afghan Whigs: Black Love |last=Garrett |first=Jon |date=June 6, 2004 |website=PopMatters |access-date=October 1, 2017}} In recent years, the album has been regarded as one of the best albums in the band's oeuvre, with Stereogum labeling it their best album in a "Worst to Best" list.{{cite web|last=Schafer|first=Joseph|date=August 12, 2014|title=The Afghan Whigs Albums From Worst To Best|url=https://www.stereogum.com/1693090/the-afghan-whigs-albums-from-worst-to-best/|access-date=May 10, 2022|website=Stereogum}}

Track listing

All tracks composed by Greg Dulli except: "Double Day" composed by Greg Dulli and Rick McCollum.

  1. "Crime Scene Part One" – 5:59
  2. "My Enemy" – 3:10
  3. "Double Day" – 4:40
  4. "Blame, Etc." – 4:11
  5. "Step into the Light" – 3:40
  6. "Going to Town" – 3:16
  7. "Honky's Ladder" – 4:15
  8. "Night by Candlelight" – 3:40
  9. "Bulletproof" – 6:37
  10. "Summer's Kiss" – 3:55
  11. "Faded" – 8:25

Charts

class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
Chart (1996)

! Peak
position

{{album chart|UK2|41|date=19960317|rowheader=true|access-date=8 July 2022}}
{{album chart|Sweden|38|artist=THE AFGHAN WHIGS |album=BLACK LOVE|rowheader=true|access-date=8 July 2022}}
{{album chart|New Zealand|35|artist=THE AFGHAN WHIGS|album=BLACK LOVE|rowheader=true|access-date=8 July 2022}}
{{album chart|Flanders|23|artist=AFGHAN WHIGS|album=BLACK LOVE|rowheader=true|access-date=8 July 2022}}
{{album chart|Wallonia|37|artist=AFGHAN WHIGS|album=BLACK LOVE|rowheader=true|access-date=8 July 2022}}
{{album chart|Billboard200|79|artist=The Afghan Whigs|rowheader=true|access-date=8 July 2022}}

Personnel

Band

  • Greg Dulli – lead vocals & guitars (1–11), drums (5), machine (6), percussion (7,8), timpani (8), sleigh bells (11)
  • Rick McCollum – guitars (1–4, 6–11), pedal steel (5), hammered dulcimer (8)
  • John Curley – bass (1–7, 9–11), Arp (1,4), guitar (3), vocals (4)
  • Paul Buchignani – drums (1–4, 6,7, 9–11), percussion (4,7,9), congas (4)

Additional Musicians

  • Harold Chichester – organ (1,4,9,11), clavinet (4,6), Fender Rhodes (5), piano (9,11), vocals (11)
  • Doug Falsetti – percussion (1), vocals (3,4,7,9,11)
  • Shawn Smith – vocals (6,8)
  • Jeffrey Reed – effects (1)
  • Barbara Hunter – cellos (4,6,8,11)
  • Jeff Powell – vocals (4,9)

Production

  • Greg Dulli – production; mixing
  • Jeff Powell – engineering; mixing
  • John Curley – assistant engineering; location recording
  • Jeffrey Reed, Ryan Hadlock, Aaron Warner, Joe Hadlock, Don Fawcett, Erik Flettrich, Dubby – assistant engineers
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering

Design

  • Jeff Kleinsmith – art direction
  • Danny Clinch – photography

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://www.summerskiss.com/192/black-love/ Album track listing on the Summer's Kiss website]

{{The Afghan Whigs}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:1996 albums

Category:The Afghan Whigs albums

Category:Elektra Records albums

Category:Sub Pop albums

Category:Mute Records albums

Category:Albums produced by Greg Dulli

Category:Albums recorded at Bear Creek Studio

Category:Albums recorded at Robert Lang Studios

Category:Progressive soul albums

Category:Soul albums by American artists

Category:Progressive music albums by American artists