Lighthouse [Deluxe Edition]

by Duff McKagan

Overview

Duff McKagan's 2019 solo album Tenderness was a solid effort built on strong songwriting and surprisingly articulate social commentary. The set's thoughtful political stances and mellow country-rock underpinnings were about as far as one could get in terms of both quality and content from the wasted debauchery McKagan is probably best remembered for from his early days in Guns N' Roses. However, Tenderness made a case for the possibility that Duff had been a sensitive songwriter at heart all along. Lighthouse supports this idea with a new batch of well-composed, rootsy rock songs that still connect with McKagan's punk rock spirit and benevolent world view. Recorded entirely at his home studio between 2019 and 2022, Lighthouse prunes from more than 60 songs to present the 12 best. Despite having a lot of material to sift through, the select tunes make for a relatively cohesive album that's held together by straightforward song construction and consistent energy. There's a reprisal of the dusty Americana that made up the lion's share of Tenderness on tracks like "Fallen Ones" and in the soft acoustic balladry of "I Just Don't Know," which crests with a bluesy guitar solo from Alice in Chains' Jerry Cantrell. McKagan's GN'R compatriot Slash comes through for another big-name guitar solo cameo on "Hope," a simmering rocker that holds the same kind of mysterious tension Guns N' Roses achieved on their more adventurous material. There's a familiar over-the-topness to some of Lighthouse, such as the endless building of the title track and the overly anthemic performances on "Holy Water" -- just a few of the instances when McKagan approaches Use Your Illusion levels of overproduction. His songs have a greater impact the more stripped down they are, with the straightforward folk-punk narrative "I Saw God on 10th Street" and the Replacements-esque swagger of "Longfeather" being some of the album's most immediate and enjoyable moments. Iggy Pop shows up for the record's equivalent of closing credits, reciting the lyrics to "Lighthouse" over a spacey reprise. Lighthouse picks up where Tenderness left off as a reminder of how Duff McKagan's songwriting and artistic voice are more intelligent than anyone might have guessed when he was playing sold-out arenas in the hair metal era. Those who are already fans of his solo output will be thrilled with how powerful and considered this new set of songs is, and anyone yet to tune in will be pleasantly surprised at his depth. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	10/20/2023
Label:	Bfd / The World Is Flat
UPC:	0819376050034
Rank:	56449

Tracks

1. Lighthouse
2. Longfeather
3. Holy Water
4. I Saw God On 10th St.
5. Fallen Down
6. Forgiveness
7. Just Another Shakedown
8. To The Fallen Ones
9. Hope
10. I Just Don't Know
11. Lighthouse

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Duff McKagan   Primary Artist,Drums,Vocals,Guitar (Bass),Guitar (Acoustic),Vocals (Background)
Slash   Featured Artist
Martin Feveyear   Mellotron,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Jerry Cantrell   Featured Artist
Jamie Douglass   Drums
Iggy Pop   Featured Artist
Aubrey Richmond   Fiddle
Tim Dijulio   Guitar (Electric)
Andrew Joslyn   Viola,Violin
Ryan Burns   Mellotron
Martin Ferveyear   Mellotron,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Slash   Composer
Ted Jensen   Mastering
Duff McKagan   Composer
Martin Feveyear   Engineer,Producer
Abe Laboriel, Jr.   Composer
Charles Peterson   Photography
Donny Phillips   Package Design
Ken "TJ" Gordon   Studio Manager
Brian Klein   Management
Andrew Joslyn   Programming,String Arrangements
Kuj Durollari   Artwork