Search - Afghan Whigs :: Up in It

Not the definite Whigs statement, but still good

Jason Panella | Beaver Falls, PA United States | 01/06/2003

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Afghan Whigs may not have hit their pinnacle until the release of Gentlemen, but it'd be false to say they didn't have anything going for them before or after that album. Their last few albums before they disbanded found them experimenting a little more, especially with the soulful 1965, but their earlier years were more musically raw than the tracks on Gentlemen. Up In It is a great case in point.I'd like to think the sound is leaning closer to classic punk and grunge than anything else, but some of the `60s R&B vibe the Whigs were notorious for shine through occasionally. The album opens with "Retarded," a classic chord-basher with a very Whigs bridge section. "Hated" has a sound I wish would've ended up more on later Whigs album, and is surely one of the best tracks on Up In It (it even has some nice intrumental interplay between guitarist Rick McCollum and singer/guitarist Greg Dulli). Other gems include the melodic "You My Flower," the almost Cheap Trick-ish "Amphetamines and Coffee," and "Hey Cuz," filled with McCollum's neat slide work.Why three stars, you may ask? Well, while there are some great tracks, some of the tunes are just subpar. Dulli's vocals on "White Trash Party" are more irritating than anything else, "Son of the South" sounds like a bad B-side from Urge Overkill's Americruiser album, and both "Sammy" and "In My Town" sound musically out of place with the rest of the songs. The album is musically a great improvement from the band's debut, Big Top Halloween, a few listens show they still had yet to find themselves. This is a great album, especially if you're looking to complete your Afghan Whigs collection, but for those looking for an introductory album to the band, this isn't the place to start."

Valuable for completing an Afghan Whigs collection . . .

jane | 07/18/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"The Afghan Whigs are my all-time favorite band, but they hadn't yet come into their own for "Up In It." I found this album refershing because the band really rocks out with some old-style punk, but it isn't what the band does best. If you are just getting into the Afghan Whigs, check out "Gentlemen" or "Black Love." If you already own those albums and you know you love the Whigs, you'll enjoy this album. If you like this, you should try to find the earlier and very rare "Big Top Halloween." It has different versions of "Big Top Halloween," "Sammy" and "In My Town." Overall, I give this album three stars, but the songs "Son Of The South," "Retarded," "White Trash Party," and "I Know Your Little Secret" are all Whigs classics."

Whipped into a fury.

08/22/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Any fan of the late 80's and 90's American punk scene should appreciate this album. If you were amazed at the raw force of Nirvana's Bleach or fell in love with any of The Replacements early releases, you can't go wrong. The CD contains several bonus tracks from The Afghan Whigs out of print, independent release Big Top Halloween."