In the four decades since The Afghan Whigs were formed in Cincinnati, the band—led by vocalist and songwriter Greg Dulli—has evolved into one of the standard-bearers for the odd early-’90s period where college-radio staples became alt-rock stars. Their blend of rock and soul, often tempered by an attitude that balances along the precipice of self-deprecating wit and pure self-loathing, has become more tender over the years—just check out the “sha-la-la”-filled “77”, a clamorous companion piece of sorts to their 1998 track “66”. Like all great soul acts, The Afghan Whigs thrive when they’re locked into a groove, and on Soft Control, Dulli’s ragged bellow still leads the charge on cuts like the groovy “Jungle Roux” and the stormy “Duvateen”. But when they crack open their sound on tracks like “The Deepest Part of the Darkest Shadow”, which winds dry brass around Dulli’s laments, they show how, 40 years later, they’re still finding ways to surprise.