The Afghan Whigs were one of the critically revered bands on the alternative/grunge 1990s scene. After singer-songwriter Greg Dulli decided to hang it up in 2001, it's taken 6 more years for a comprehensive compilation of their work.

"Unbreakable: A Retrospective 1990-2006" (18 tracks; 76 min.) rightfully focuses on the band's 2 essential albums, 1993's "Gentlemen" and 1998's "1965", which are both represented by 4 tracks here. "Debonair" (from "Gentlemen") is on here of course, the closest the band ever came to mainstream success, and the band's signature song. "Be Sweet", "What Jail Is Like" and "Gentleman" are also included from the "Gentlemen" album. "1965" is represented by the single "Going To Town", "Crazy", "66" and the other single/EP "What Jail Is Like". The band's seminal Motown cover "Come See About Me" remains as fresh as ever.

The controversial/difficult 1996 album "Black Love" is conveniently shoved all the way to the back of the compilation, with 3 songs on the last third of the compilation. There are also 2 new songs: the excellent "I'm A Soldier", and the pensive "Magazine", both recorded last year in a one-off reunion studio session. (Greg Dulli has made it clear that there are no further reunion plans.)

In all, this is a terrific overview of/introduction to the Afghan Whigs. It still boggles me to this day why the Whigs never broke through big-time in the 90s. They are just as good as, say, Pearl Jam, but for whatever reason it never happened. I hope this compilation will earn them renewed interest in their music. And I cannot omit the fact that the Whigs hail from Cincinnati, and are one of the best bands to hail from our city, ever... Greg Dulli has gone on to create great music with the Twilight Singers, so check them out if you are not familiar with them yet.