Whiskey for the Holy Ghost

by Mark Lanegan

Overview

Mark Lanegan's first solo album, 1990's The Winding Sheet, was a darker, quieter, and more emotionally troubling affair than what fans were accustomed to from his work as lead singer with the Screaming Trees. The follow-up album, 1994 's Whiskey for the Holy Ghost, used The Winding Sheet's sound and style as a starting point, with Lanegan and producer/instrumentalist Mike Johnson constructing resonant but low-key instrumental backdrops for the singer's tales of heartbreak, alcohol, and dashed hopes. While The Winding Sheet often sounded inspired but tentative, like the solo project from a member of an established band, Whiskey for the Holy Ghost speaks with a quiet but steely confidence of an artist emerging with his own distinct vision. The songs are more literate and better realized than on the debut, the arrangements are subtle and supportive (often eschewing electric guitars for keyboards and acoustic instruments), and Lanegan's voice, bathed in bourbon and nicotine, transforms the deep sorrow of the country blues (a clear inspiration for this music) into something new, compelling, and entirely his own. Whiskey for the Holy Ghost made it clear that Mark Lanegan had truly arrived as a solo artist, and it ranks alongside American Music Club's Everclear as one of the best "dark night of the soul" albums of the 1990s. ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	10/07/2016
Label:	Sub Pop
UPC:	0098787013214
Rank:	38386

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Mark Lanegan   Primary Artist,Guitar (Electric)
Jack Endino   Guest Artist
Tad Doyle   Guest Artist,Drums (Snare),Drums
Dan Peters   Guest Artist,Drums
Mike Johnson   Guest Artist,Bass,Organ,Piano,Harmonica,Slide Guitar,Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background),Guitar (Electric)
J Mascis   Guest Artist,Drums
Sally Barry   Vocals (Background)
Kurt Fedora   Bass
Mark Pickerel   Drums
Ted Trewhella   Piano
Krisha Augerot   Vocals (Background)
Frank Cody   Organ,Piano
Justin Williams   Organ
Phil Sparks   Bowed Bass,Bass (Upright)
Dave Kreuger   Violin

Technical Credits

Jack Endino   Engineer
Terry Date   Engineer
Ed Brooks   Engineer
Mark Lanegan   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Mike Johnson   Arranger,Producer
Bob Ludwig   Mastering
John Agnello   Mixing,Engineer
Arthur S. Aubry   Photography
Art Chantry   Design
Michael Lavine   Photography