Afghan Whigs - Big Top Halloween
(This was a meh week for new releases so I’m skipping my Monday review. If you really want to know what I listened to, it’s not much different from last week).
They’ve been one of my favorite bands for years, and I still don’t know why their first album has never been repressed. The Afghan Whigs released “Big Top Halloween” on their own label back in 1988. Where “Up In It” occasionally veered into Replacements-territory, this record sounds like Greg Dulli knocked out Paul Westerberg and took over for a record. While not up to the same highs they’d hit on later ones, this is still a great album. Some songs would be at home on their next record, “Up In It”, while most aren’t quite as polished. I never understood why Sub-Pop didn’t put this out when they worked with the band for that record. Maybe the band dislikes it, who knows.
You can snag the WHOLE thing here. Please read that sentence again before emailing me where the rest of the album is. Thanks.
Check out some highlights:
Here Comes Jesus
Scream
Doughball
Greek Is Extra
Image borrowed from Dying Days.
NOTE: Some people have yet to figure out that the whole record has been uploaded. This isn’t a four track sample entry, the whole record is available in this post somewhere. It’s not that hard to find, honest.
thanks for these! i got into the whigs a little later, Gentleman and Black Love but for some stupid reason, never tracked anything down before Gentleman. I sadly, never got to see them live, either.
cheers,
b.s.
Merci Beaucoup for these tracks. Its one of those albums, that you read on their discography, but think you’ll never ever hear. God bless the internet. Do you have by any chance, the Jugula demos?
Cheers
Franko.
“Here Comes Jesus” cuts out at 1:51.
Thanks for putting this up. Never heard it before and its better than what the band themselves thinks about it
thanks - i used to be desperate to hear this. nice to finally get the chance years later!
Awesome, thanks!