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Concert Tue Mar 04 2008
The Gutter Twins @ the Metro this Friday
If you’re as much a fan of early alt rock as I am, you too have been excited about this for a long time. A musical collaboration between Mark Lanegan (the Screaming Trees) and Greg Dulli (the Afghan Whigs, the Twilight Singers), the first album from the Gutter Twins is a project over four years in the making. With so much time between inception and completion, one might expect Saturnalia to disappoint fans of explosive alt rock. One would be wrong.
When I first heard “Idle Hands” streaming on the Myspace a few months ago, I thought it sounded an awful lot like the Screaming Trees, with its crunchy guitars that roll over swirling strings as Lanegan delivers his familiar growl. While it I found it to be pretty great, it was exactly what I expected from this particular group.
But upon listening to the entirety of the album yesterday, it became immediately clear to me that the Gutter Twins aren’t interested in re-hashing the past in any way, shape, or form. My initial response to Saturnalia is that it’s a surprisingly cinematic turn that showcases the band exploring more unique sonic textures, as opposed to merely rocking your face off (though they get after that too). The landscape they’ve created is a gothic wasteland where men walk the streets armed with black trench coats and secrets worth dying for. I have no doubt too that repeated listens will continue to lend richness and depth to the material.
My main concern for their late show at the Metro on Friday is that they will only have a handful of tour dates under their belt and lack the consistent reps to provide a truly cohesive show. Sure, they’ve been collaborating on and off for a number of years, but who knows how their presences will balance one another in a live setting. We can only trust in their ability and experience as musicians that they, like the album they represent, will deliver the goods.
The Gutter Twins play an 18 and over show this Friday, March 7th at the Metro. Great Northern opens. Tickets are $19.50 and the doors open at 11pm.
