Actually the last reviewer was pretty "dead on"..
Barnes and Noble Junkie | Barnes And Noble, Midlothian, Virginia | 09/16/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is an awesome album BUT:
The first three songs on this album pretty much start off where Sweet Oblivion left off.. Start of with a rocker "Halo of Ashes", insert an absolute classic "All I know". throw in a ballad "Look at You" and you have the makings of another classic... Then...
The album just seems to bog down.. Don't get me wrong, this is an outstanding album, but it is not as diverse as Sweet Oblivion. Mark Lanegan never sounded as good as he did on Dust, and the quality of the musicianship is great, but the song writing isn't as good as Sweet Oblivion. You would think that after a four year hiatus (a hiatus that pretty much killed the band) there would be a more diverse collection of songs.
Probably the most striking song on the album is Dime Western. For anyone who has ever seen Jesus Christ Superstar, if you remember the part where Judas is running to hang himself, the guitar riff in this song sounds almost exactly like the music that is playing in the backround. Throw in an "Iron Butterly"esque melotron and it is freaky.. Then to go into a song called "Gospel Plow"...
Do I recommend this album? Heck yeah, it's just a shame that this was their swan song, they really had more to offer."