The Twilight Singers released their previous album, Powder Burns, in 2006 and it was amazing. The album was close and personal, detailing mastermind Greg Dulli’s experience with drug addiction. Dynamite Steps comes 5 years later and it shows.
The album is well produced and the tempo ranges enough to keep any rock listener interested. Dulli doesn’t do hard song, soft song, repeat– instead he tricks you into a rocking narrative with a slow and organic start. Each song is like a romance– this beginning sound of promise that hooks you, a building courtship to win you over, then a towering climax of lyrics and music that leave you drunk on joy. By the time the song fades out, you leave wanting more: start next song. Greg Dulli always calls us back and never stands us up– he’s the romance we never knew we wanted.
Dynamite Steps is a rewarding experience for lyrical content that dips into cautionary tales and lists of longing. Though the arc of the album isn’t as clear as Powder Burns, the songs are just as amazing. “Last Night in Town” pleases fans of the band immediately and “Be Invited” calms them down. Track five, first single “On the Corner,” is where my brain stopped trusting my ears. A synthetic beat starts the song and makes you wonder what world of programmed music Dulli is getting into, but by the 1:30 mark, you don’t even realize it’s there anymore.
I’m always looking for artists to take their work in new directions. The Twilight Singers may be the most consistent bands I enjoy, but there’s something special that comes to the table when Dulli is running things– you can tell his work is five years in the making. Production is top-notch, lyrics are meaningful, music is complex and accessible. He’s not putting out an album just to keep the lights on. His vision is one of rock’s most realized because he makes art.