The first new Afghan Whigs music since their 2022 album How Do You Burn? has arrived today (Dec. 10) in the surprising form of covers of Minneapolis indie pop band Poliça’s “Fake Life” and U.K. duo Still Corners’ “Downtown.” See visualizers for the recordings below.
“Both of these songs were born out of soundcheck jams,” relays frontman Greg Dulli of the songs, which will not appear on the Whigs’ forthcoming new LP. “Each song holds a particular resonance for me and I really felt the lyrics, so they both flowed freely and felt good to sing.”
Beyond their digital versions, the covers will also be available on a limited red vinyl single through Cincinnati-based Shake It Records, which will begin shipping by the end of the month or in early January.
The Whigs will celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2026, with the aforementioned new album expected at some point during the year. Violinist Petra Haden was recently pictured in the studio on Instagram with the band, who has recorded in Joshua Tree, Ca., and in New Orleans.
How Do You Burn? featured the first appearance on a Whigs album by the late Mark Lanegan, who collaborated with Dulli on a number of other projects over the past 20-plus years, including their band Gutter Twins.
