Blackberry Belle

Twilight Singers | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 14, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: One Little Indian Us
• ASIN: B0000CF2ZH
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (38 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #45,771 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #53 in Music > Alternative Rock > Indie & Lo-Fi > Ambient Pop

Editorial Reviews

Japanese edition of 2003 album from Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli, features 12 tracks including 1 bonus track, 'Wicked'. Teichiku. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Blackberry Beautiful, January 12, 2004

By 

seth friebolin (Emerald, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blackberry Belle (Audio CD)

The Twilight Singers' album Blackberry Belle is one of the best albums of 2003. This band, formed in the wake of The Afghan Whigs' 1999 break up, is a marriage of a variety of musical styles. Listening to the album, one can tell that frontman Greg Dulli was influenced by 70's soul, classic rock, and a bit of techno. The Whigs, now somewhat of a cult favorite, were labelmates with Nirvana and Soundgarden at Seattle's Sub-Pop. While those bands were clearly categorized as grunge, The Afghan Whigs could not be put into any clear division. This is the same problem in trying to define The Twilight Singers. Dulli loves being seen as a rogue and , I believe, his wide palate of musical tastes is what makes this album so special.
Blackberry Belle begins with the slow and dark ballad, "Martin Eden" and ends with "Number Nine", a song of the same proportion. The middle eight songs, while not exactly all out rockers, are much more up- tempo pieces of aural delight. The songs "Teenage Wristband" and "Feathers" could easily be big successes if backed by radio and video stations. In fact, "Teenage Wristband" is possibly the best song of 2003. The song begins with a piano interlude which suggests The Who's "Baba O'Riley", before building into a rocker about adolescent lust complete with backup vocals from Appollonia Kotero of Purple Rain fame.
Greg Dulli's lyrics perfectly coexist with the music they accompany. His songs of loss, longing, sex, and temptation flow flawlessly throughout the album's 45 minutes. In "Feathers", Dulli sings "You're gonna crawl, my precious / I'm untethered / waving in the wind like feathers", with the accompaniment of a sexy clavinet and rhythm section. This is the kind of music that one feels and not just hears. The listener is concerned with both the beauty of the lyrics and music.
If there is one album you buy in the new year, Blackberry Belle should be it. Light some candles, open a bottle of wine and crawl in front of the fireplace with your partner. This album will keep you warm and wanting more in 2004.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars save yourself, you little sinner., October 22, 2003

By 

"leroy_jack" (Columbia, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Blackberry Belle (Audio CD)

Easily one of the best albums I've heard in a long time, Blackberry Belle is a unique blend of Afghan Whig's '1965' and Twilight Singers' first album, 'Twilight As Played By...'. However, upon listening you immediately hear it's originality. Nothing quite like this is being done by anyone. The music is unpredictable, yet expertly maneuvered by Greg Dulli, and it feels like he sweeps it straight through your soul on every track. His lyrics are as haunting as ever, and the album's production is outstanding.

Dulli has made brilliant albums before, but this classic album is sure to be his best yet. I eagerly await for the buzz over this album to hit full force (and there will be a buzz). Dulli is a talent that deserves more recognition, and this album is sure to be a milestone album in rock.

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Afghan Whiggier, November 28, 2003

By 

W. Johnson (The Mile High City) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Blackberry Belle (Audio CD)

Where Greg Dulli's Twilight Singers first outing, Twilight was almost an effort to be different than the Afghan Whigs, Blackberry Belle takes a step back towards Dulli's roots.

Blackberry Belle sounds like what the Afghan Whigs might have done had Dulli not halted the band several years ago. Dulli is strongest when working with-in a Whigs context and this CD delivers the goods in a slightly sublime way. There are not particularly strong songs on the cd that scream out to be a single, but when listened to as a whole it is a well crafted and well thought out album that resonates with a genuine organic sound. This was the critical thing that was missing from Twilight.

If the sound Dulli worked so hard to craft with the Whigs is your thing, then I can not understand why you are reading this review. Buy it. Open up your Amazon box when it is delivered. Pop it into your stereo and turn it up.