Four decades in, the Afghan Whigs have still got it. The darkly soulful rock greats are heading out on a 40th anniversary tour with Mercury Rev this weekend, and they recently promoted it with their first song in four years, "House Of I." This week they've got another new track, "Duvateen." According to a press release, it's named for the light manipulating material, "which here serves as a symbol for morality." The song builds up a huge swell of sentimentality around Greg Dulli's peerless voice as he reflects on his own life journey. This could easily pass for a Twilight Singers song, and I'm not mad about it.
Dulli shared this statement:
When I finished “Duvateen,” it felt like my life passing before my eyes. The references to the teacher chasing me down the hall reminded me of my childhood. Digging a hole was an obvious allusion to a grave. I’m at a precipice in life where I can look behind and clearly see the forest of my youth, but I can also see the path to the other side. And it’s going to inform what I do for the rest of my days.
Listen below.
TOUR DATES:
04/25 - Woodstock, NY @ Bearsville Theater
04/27 - Boston, MA @ Royale
04/28 - Washington DC @ 9:30 Club
04/30 - New York, NY @ Webster Hall
05/01 - Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
05/02 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Mr. Smalls Theater
05/04 - Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
05/05 - Cleveland, OH @ House Of Blues
05/06 - Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s
05/08 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall Ballroom
05/09 - Chicago, IL @ Metro
05/10 - Minneapolis, MN @ Varsity Theater
05/12 - Denver, CO @ Summit Music Hall
05/15 - Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theatre
05/16 - Vancouver BC @ Commodore Ballroom
05/17 - Seattle, WA @ The Showbox
05/19 - San Francisco, CA @ The Fillmore
05/20 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Bellwether
05/22 - Santa Ana, CA @ The Observatory
05/23 - San Diego, CA @ The Observatory North Park
05/24 - Pioneertown, CA @ Pappy & Harriett’s
09/19 - Leeds, UK @ Stylus
09/20 - Nottingham, UK @ The Palais
09/22 - Glasgow, UK @ SWG3 Galvanizers
09/23 - Manchester, UK @ O2 Ritz
09/24 - London, UK @ O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire
09/26 - Brighton, UK @ Chalk
