Afterhours

U.S.A.

SPIN (Charles Aaron)
from”The 100 greatest bands you’ve (probably) never heard”
AFTERHOURS
With 1997’s Hai paura del buio? (Are you afraid of the dark?) these raging, brooding, crooning alt-rockers recorded what was considered Italy’s counterpart to Nevermind. They later collaborated and toured with Afghan Whig/Twilight Singer/Gutter Twin Greg Dulli.

KERRANG! (Daniel Lukes)
Debonair Italian alt-rockers seduce NYC
It’s no coincidence Milan sextet Afterhours, who take their name from a Velvet Underground song, are playing as their intro tape The Afghan Whigs’ 1996 masterpiece “Black Love”: after being inspired by the too much missed alt-rockers for years, Afterhours got to work with ex-‘Whigs/Twilight Singers master mind Gred Dulli on their 2005 album “Ballate per piccole iene” (and its English-language version “Ballads for little hyenas”) and, like the ‘Whigs before them, Afterhours have class to sell. Opening with a simple “Ciao. Ciao a tutti” from crimson skirted frontman Manuel Agnelli to this intimate downtown venue packed tonight with Italian ex-pats, the band launch into the sumptuous, heart-rending rock that has made them stars in Italy, though little known elsewhere. 
Agnelli diplays the rugged voice and weary soul of a man who’s been around the block, at times recalling Mark Lanegan, who the band have also collaborated with, as he and his compagni rock with robust swagger and snarling pop sensitivity, as well as a touch of humor, like when he dedicates the song “The thin white line” to “our friend Kate Moss”, though of course it’s the Italian language hits that get the biggest applause. 
There is no language barrier: Afterhours are a world class act. 
Rating: KKKK

POPMATTERS (Michael Keefe)
Brooding but also explosive, Afterhours combine the sweeping, elegiac tones of Tindersticks, the near-metallic roar of The Stooges, and Jeff Buckley’s penchant for heady anthems. Or, try this on: The Cult, but with bouts of depression. One more: Soundgarden, but with brains and beauty (instead of just the brawn)…. At the center of this group’s musical identity is lead singer Manuel Agnelli, Afterhours’ principle songwriter and powerful vocalist. …Agnelli himself is a ferocious guitarist, equally adept at laying into hard rockin’ riffs as he is at tearing out post-punk shards of sound. Along with this core line-up, Dulli (him again!) lends the bad yet another hand by sitting in on most tracks, several of which credit him as co-author. Still, while Dulli helped mold much of the material on Ballads for Little Hyenas, there’s little question that it is the band’s intense passion and artistic mind meld which make this album so totally awesome. Agnelli’s lyrics are both sumptuous and razor-edged. This is from the album’s quasi-title track, “Ballad for my Little Hyena”: “On your patch of ground / Small hyenas prowl / It is just expedience / That keeps the sun going / Round and round”. These lovely lines are from the cello-grooving “Desire Froze Here”: “Pantomime / Is your tragedy / It’s a thin line between your sorrow / And your cunning”. …Afterhours had been rocking since 1988….Just thinking about that meaty back catalog makes me salivate and cackle like a little hyena. 
Rating: 8 out of 10

AMPLIFIER MAGAZINE (Jeff Terich)
…At times dark,often abrasive,and extremely intense,Ballads is a unique album that pairs lyrics about the weaknesses and shortcoming of humanity  with sinister grooves and haunting melodic rock….Their recorded output wasn’t widely available for purchase outside of their home country. That’s all about to change.

EXPRESS, A PUBLICATION OF THE WASHINGTON POST
Right on Time: Afterhours Manuel Agnelli was in his hotel in Austin, Texas, last week, waiting for his band, Afterhours, to make its debut performance later that night at the annual zoo/party known as the SXSW music festival. The Milan, Italy-based band arrived the day before, and the musicians wandered around the Mardi Gras-crazy streets of Austin, taking some brief cell-phone videos that they posted to Afterhours’ MySpace page. But when asked what stood out to him the most about this rock ‘n’ roll bacchanal, it wasn’t the music so much as the wonderful excess of it all. “The main thing that really hit me yesterday, is if you have a wristband, and you get into certain places, they give you food and drinks for free. That’s like nowhere else in the world, man,” Agnelli laughed. Something else that’s unique is Afterhours, which has spent the last 18 years becoming one of Italy’s biggest rock bands, singing in their native tongue. While Afterhours flirted with the Anglophone world early in its career — its first album is in English — the Italian group decided to stick to its own language because, Agnelli said, “The scene in Italy was growing really fast at the time, and we felt part of something new and changing. There’s nothing as exciting as that. Being just another rock ‘n’ roll band is great — but being part of something changing in your own country is even more exciting. “And singing in Italian in rock music — I think it’s strange for you, but it’s strange for us as well. We had a new feel to explore, with the language as well. I don’t want to be pretentious — sorry about that,” he laughed. “It was really natural for me to try and sing in English, if you write in English. But it’s my second language. I haven’t got the credibility to do that as far out as I do in Italian,” Agnelli said. “Italian is my language, and I do what I want. If I want to try something strange with the words — games and blah, blah, blah — I can, because it’s my language, and I can say what I want. But English has always been different for me because you can try to say something strange, and you can say, ‘We don’t say that. It’s wrong.’ That’s why we decided to sing in Italian, too — to acquire more personality, in a way.” Perhaps because it is so common now for Italian rock bands to sing in Italian — and be successful at it within their country — Afterhours decided to switch things up and record an English-language version of its latest album, “Ballads for Little Hyenas” (One Little Indian). (There’s also an Italian-language edition of the album.) The other reason Afterhours wrote in English is because Agnelli’s American soul brother, Twilight Singers/Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli, decided the band was too good to be heard by Italians alone. “He was pushing really hard to get us out of Italy,” Agnelli said. “He said we weren’t sounding like anyone else and we had to try and do something outside of our country.” Dulli and Agnelli met when The Twilight Singers and Afterhours played a tour of Italy together, and the two got along like a villa on fire. “The main thing, he respects our music,” Agnelli said of Dulli. “In fact, we consider him part of our band. We try to play with him as often as we can.” And Agnelli returns the favor as often as possible, too, sitting in with The Twilight Singers as their keyboardist. “Ballads for Little Hyenas” was not only produced by Dulli, he also received numerous writing credits. “He brought tons of ideas, riffs, arrangements,” Agnelli said. “And he was helping a lot with the singing as well at first.” It’s no wonder the two clicked so well: Afterhours’ music and Dulli’s various projects share the same love of raw soul-rock power. Agnelli cited bands such as The Pixies, The Replacements, Husker Du and Wall of Voodoo as early inspirations for Afterhours, but at this point in the band’s career it has developed its own sound. “Ballads for Little Hyenas” is accomplished not just for the epically rocking songs, edgy melodies and Agnelli’s distinctive and husky rasp of a voice, but also for the fact that the English-language lyrics don’t sound clunky. While Agnelli speaks English exceedingly well, he said writing lyrics in it is a whole ‘nother football match. “We were writing in English and writing in Italian at the same time,” Agnelli said of the songwriting process for both versions of “Ballads for Little Hyenas.” “And I was trying to translate the lyrics from English to Italian, and it didn’t work. And I tried the other way around, and it didn’t work either. So I asked Greg and [PJ Harvey collaborator] John Parrish and a few friends of mine to help me with the process, but it didn’t work in the end. I had to rewrite the songs in Italian completely in a different way — from zero.” The writing process for “Ballads for Little Hyenas” was difficult at times, but a highly enjoyable one for Agnelli. “I was always being the author of the lyrics 100 percent” on Afterhours’ Italian CDs, he said, “so it was a new thing for me to collaborate with Greg and John — a really, really great thing. A new thing, once again.” The other new thing Agnelli was referring to is the fresh faces and ears who have been opened up to Afterhours’ music because of the band’s decision to record in English. “We found that the American audience is ready and willing to listen to something they don’t know,” he said. “It’s completely different from Europe, where trends are the thing. If you’re not really trendy, you’re not working.” And he doesn’t mind that Afterhours is, after 18 years, essentially starting over. “It’s great. It’s to be new again, to be young again,” Agnelli laughed. “At the same time, we have our ass safe at home. We don’t risk too much. But playing in Italy, in front of an audience that knows everything about us, was becoming a bit routine — and heavy at the same time. Italy is a very small country, so you’re playing the same old places over and over again. And even if it goes very well, it’s like a golden cage in a way. To play the Mecca of rock ‘n’ roll, and finding a new audience, even a small one, is fantastic.”

CINCINNATI CITY BEAT (Sean Rhiney)
Afterhours play Rock& Roll with equal nods to classic indie rock and progressive rock sound more typified by contemporary Italian artists. Imagine Blue Oyster Cult with the jagged , moody lyricism of Leonard Cohen and you’re getting close. Sung both in English and Italian, the music is grunge –laden , guitar-layered with atmosferic folk pop touches that make for an intriguing listen and an even better live show. What makes the mix even more fun are Afterhours’enigmatic frontman Manuel Agnelli,and multi-instrumentalists Enrico Gabrielli and Dario Ciffo, who trash about on violin,sax and clarinet throughout. Last fall during a support gig  Columbus, Ohio., with Dulli’s Twilight Singers, the band won over an early, lukewarm crowd with sweaty determination and a flair for the dramatic . Their live take on Hyenas’ “White Widow” was Mesmerizing…

DAILY LOCAL NEWS PHILADELPHIA (Danny Daygroff)
…Afterhours is finally ready to start its quest of conquering America

BOSTON GLOBE – INSIDE KICK (Meredith Goldstein)
MUSIC Before and Afterhours
The Italian indie-rock band Afterhours is something like Brit popster Robbie Williams — huge at home but fairly anonymous in these parts. This is bad for Afterhours but good for you, because it means you can see this very good group in a very small venue — tonight at the Middle East Upstairs, for instance. Afterhours is playing in support of its moody “Ballads for Little Hyenas,” produced by the former frontman for the Afghan Whigs …Catch them while you can.

CAMPUSPHILLLY.COM (Brittany Sturgis)
… Afterhours, may be the best international find of the year. With amazing guitar solos, catchy rock riffs … Afterhours is armed with quite a few secret weapons…The lead singer’s voice is hypnotizing. It lulls you in to every song and captivates your attention. From the more relaxed melody of  ”Sparkle” to the trance-like “Fresh Flesh,” there isn’t a song I don’t like.

PATRIOT LEDGER (Chad Berndston)
Afterhours is so big in its native Italy that it has to be a little strange for the band to be playing its initial American gigs in rooms with capacities around 200 and 500…It shouldn’t be too hard – this is a moody, brooding rock crew that packs quite an emotional wallop…

CHICAGO TRIBUNE (Bob Gendron)
…An English-language version of this group’s 2005 album, “Ballads for Little Hyenas” (One Little Indian) finds Italy’s biggest rock act echoing the dramatic currents and moodiness familiar to co-producer, collaborator and Twilight Singers member Greg Dulli. Afterhours frontman Manuel Agnelli’s atmospheric presence helps keep the music from becoming derivative. This marks the group’s local headlining debut. (Safe Bet)

E-MUSIC (Amelia Raitt)
Vocalist Manuel Agnelli has a voice like a bag of broken glass, hard and crude and serrated, and its perfectly suited to his group’s dour rock songs…. Ballads for Little Hyenas has knives drawn and teeth out, ready to move in for the kill. 
rating: **** out of 5

RIFTROCK (Ben Thompson)
Agnelli’s cigarette burned voice leaves a unique impression on provocative minds. His lyrics of lust, love and yearning are the perfect product of the blues infused rock spilling out of the speakers. Ballads for Little Hyenas brooding swagger is infectious, the wailing guitars aided by the tempermental keyboards and violin bring excitement to the somber relaxed vocals.…Afterhours put out a fantastic first record. 
rating: 9 out of 10 – editor’s choice

NOWONTOUR (Morley Seaver)
This is a tremendous CD from Italy’s Afterhours … It is moody and atmospheric but it is anchored in a rock base that keeps you from drifting off….The first cut, “The Thin White Line,” has mesmerizing vocals and a hypnotic melody line, making it one of the strongest songs on the record. Singer Agnelli has a range that fleshes out this material. On this cut he uses a falsetto that is dropped for some of the verses where he rages, to great effect….The driving rhythm of “Ballad For My Little Hyena” shifts gears from the melancholy first cut. Agnelli’s terrific voice once again shines on this song. We’re into more up-tempo rock territory with the next cut, “The Ending is the Greater.” “There’s Many Ways” is one of the highlights of the record. …On and on it goes with one great song after another. The music is so expertly composed that it subtly shifts moods with each cut. The vocals are excellent and Agnelli knows when to croon and when to let it rip. Awesome, remarkable, amazing…you pick the adjective because this record has it all. 
Rating: ***** on 5   
More magic from Italy 
”Ballads for Little Hyenas” is an amazing album, dark, brooding and rich in drama. Singer Manuel Agnelli’s voice veers from gritty Maggie May-era Rod Stewart growl to keening falsetto to Nick Cave baritone, while the music and atmosphere are drawn from a similar well to Cave, The National, Lanegan and their ilk. The album is no.1 download at the moment in the eMusic Power Chart, and with the band currently touring Europe, they look as if they could be on the brink of gaining a worldwide following.

LUNAPARK 6
The band’s sound can be described as somewhere between the Afghan Whigs and the Black Heart Procession. The singer has an impressive scruffy voice and the band plays loud jammy inde rock. The two standout tracks would be “The Thin White Line” (having a slow dark rock sound balanced out by pianos and vocals switching between high and low pitch) and “Sparkle” having a slower, acoustic vibe that seems a bit inspired from Radiohead.

TIME-OUT CHICAGO (Steve Dollar)
…The group won the loyalty of Greg Dulli, the former Afghan Whigs frontman, who produced its latest disc, Ballads for Little Hyenas, and obviously heard something he liked in Manuel Agnelli’s powerhouse vocals. The pair first hooked up in 2004, when Dulli’s Twilight Singers split an Italian tour bill with Agnelli, who subsequently played on the last two Twilights albums. If Ballads is a good indication, then Afterhours could as easily hail from Seattle: “White Widow” plays melodic hooks off of untamed guitar squelch in classic grunge style; “The Thin White Line” slow burns through an epic five minutes, with a subtle, simple piano-and-strings arrangement setting the stage for an arena-rock guitar-gasm. Afterhours’ sound can seem derivative of the Soundgarden set (the group also has worked with the Screaming Trees’ Mark Lanegan), but Agnelli’s voice gives the band a clear identity. And when he pulls a gem like “Sparkle” out of his pocket, with its gentle confessional lilt, it’s time to reach for your Bic disposable lighter and bend your thumb to greatness…

TONE AND GROOVE (The Avalon – Hollywood, CA -21 June 2006)
…The second opening band was Italy’s Afterhours, The Twilight Singers’ One Little Indian label mates and a band that is starting to achieve some deserved international recognition. A tight, fun, interesting mix of rock and traditional Italian folk…they really won me over. Singing songs in both English and Italian, this talented group kept you interested not only in the songs they played, but in the varied instruments they used to play them – including the electric guitar-bass-drums standards to violin, keyboards, and (forgive my complete ignorance) a strange looking horn-like wind instrument. Their second song, “White Widow”, is a song I have actually heard on local radio and really enjoyed without even know it was them, and by the response of the audience I’d say a fair number of others had heard it too. Towards the end of their set they added a traditional song that allowed the keyboardist to come out from behind his keys and take up the aforementioned wind instrument, then stroll through the audience like a roving troubador while never missing a note…

RANDOMVILLE (Philadelphia review 2006)
Next to take the stage was Italy’s Afterhours…the band took the stage like lambs but quickly ripped into a balls-on 45-minute set that sucked the growing crowd into a thunderous, rock ‘n roll funnel cloud. Holy hell—where did these guys come from and how quickly can I get my hands on everything they’ve ever released?… the band’s boyish appearance and good-natured interaction with the crowd belied their face-punching performance, which set the bar staggeringly high for the headliner. If in 30 years you heard that Greg Dulli’s five sons had started a band, Afterhours is what you’d hope for.

THE MORNING CALL (Tom Coombe)
‘Ballads for Little Hyenas,” the eighth album from the Italian rock band (and R.E.M. fave) Afterhours, was the last disc I listened to recently in a package of CDs up for review. It was an exorcism, driving out the evil spirits of drippy coffeehouse rock and one particularly grating patchouli-scented bar band. But even later on, out of that context, ”Ballads for Little Hyenas” held up. It’s go-for-broke, almost operatic hard rock that should shame about three-quarters of stateside bands. The Web site All Music Guide lists Jeff Buckley and the Afghan Whigs among Afterhours’ influences, and that may have been true for earlier albums. Listening to the best tracks on ”Hyenas” — the title song, ”The Ending is Greater” and ”Desire Froze Here” — it was easy to imagine flying pigs, Stonehenge and balls of fire.

NEW YORKER
KNITTING FACTORY. March 30: The long-running Italian rock band Afterhours, which performs in both English and Italian, counts Greg Dulli, formerly of the Afghan Whigs, among its fans. He produced its latest album, “Ballads for Little Hyenas.

ROLLING STONE (Joe Levy, vice-director or RS US for RS Italy)
“Loud, sludgy, melodic – it’s grunge! And it is, in part, clearly influenced if not shaped by Nirvana, but also by the Chili Peppers in ballad mode, ans various British combinations of guitar noise and string orchestrations.
It’s varied, openminded, creative, ambitious, and above all adventurous (though it’s a little long at an hour-plus).
Free from any of the rules, restrictions and expectations of American punk, they add a cool synthesizer groan to one of their most clearly Nirvana-inspired tunes, “Elymania” (even the title sounds like Nirvana), which is something Nirvana ever got to do.
The roar of “Dea” is impressive, and so is the Chili Peppers-like power ballad “Voglio una pelle splendida”.
Pretty great.

U.K.

PLAN-B (Ned Raggett)
…There’s plenty of dark and smoky and moody and raspy and wracked  and dramatic sentiments. Not quite goth but definitely tortured souls. …And opening song “The Thin White Line” sets the teatrical mood pretty well. Gotta admit when the high speed drum roll rampage  starts “The Ending Is The Greater” I jumped in my seat a little.

CRUD MAGAZINE (Alan Sargeant)
…This is a mighty fine album whatever your native language and just because Carlo Cudicini spoilt your chances of leaping ahead of United in Saturdays game at White Hart Lane, doesn’t  mean to say that new album, ‘Ballad For Little Hyenas’ won’t make the top end of the league this season. Built solidly around front man Manuel Agnelli’s brooding intensity as performer and songwriter and producer/arranger, Greg Dulli (The Afghan Whigs, The Twilight Singers), ‘Ballad For Little Hyenas’ writhes a tortuous, baroque wormhole through a cinematic space that includes ‘Ok Computer’, ‘De-Loused in the Comatorium’ and Jeff Buckley’s ‘Grace’. It’s angsty, passionate, gothic  and cerebral. In fact, its rather like Faith No More’s Mike Patton fronting the Velvet Underground (and where the band took the cue for their name). From the first tender opening bars of dark and twisted hymn, ‘The Thin White Line’ with its ruminative piano, orchestral guitar and violin, to the power-noises and bow-bass of the elegaic (yet pretty), ‘Andrea’s Birthday’ its clear Afterhours are furrowing the same tragic ground as ‘Paranoid Android’and ‘No Surprises’, fleshed out with Giorgio Prette’s storm raising skin-pounding and Agnelli’s shredded, theatrical vocals… 
rating: **** out of  5

THE GUARDIAN
…singer Manuel Agnelli’s trembling larynx is still a potent force. The grinding, industrial rock of The Ending Is Greater, the strongest track here, is the band’s best hope of finding success… 
rating: *** out of 5

SOHOSTRUT
…Afterhours’ have put together simply a great Album…I found myself wanting to hear ‘There’s many ways’ and ‘Andreas Birthday’ over and over again …

UK MUSIC SEARCH
…You can perhaps count the number of great rock bands to have emerged from Italy on one hand, Afterhours, though a band to add to that list, a gothic drenched five piece who make music that manages to sound like the Bad Seeds without Nick Cave merged with Echo And The Bunnymen, with a little Led Zeppelin and Kyuss thrown in for good measure…”Ballads For Little Hyenas” is a dark and brooding masterpiece, a record that drips with gothic majesty and pitch black splendour and an album that marks out Afterhours as a band worth obsessing over. Stunning.”…

FULL FRONTAL RECORDINGS
Ballads For Little Hyenas.. is the sixth album this band have written and it..s pretty much faultness. It really is …There..s eleven tracks on this album and all the songs on here are emotional driven pieces that really do have to be heard to be appreciated …You..ll really enjoy the music and you can feel the passion coming from this band both musically and vocally… The production is great and… if you like something different that will grab your attention then this is the album you should be picking up. (One Little Indian) 
rating: 9 out of 10

ABERDEEN  UNIVERSITY  NEWSPAPER (Graeme Stirling)
No Laughing Matter   …I was immediately impressed. The first track, entitled The Thin White Line, is my personal favourite track on the album and possibly the best  one…The lyrics are also noticeably different. The Thin White Line starts off with a quiet, delay-pedalled electric guitar riff that resonates in solitude before the other instruments join in. It has a mellow, background music style whilst simultaneously managing to sound urgent and pained, with front man Manuel Agnelli singing the chorus lyrics “Holy thin white curse, use my soul, it’s yours” in a high pitched, haunting style.  Ballads For Little Hyenas definitely got off to a good start …   While the drums match with a basic rhythm, Agnelli’s vocals strike out with their own melodies and sound very good …

ALTERNATIVE ULSTER (James McDonald)
“Iggy Pop meets Jeff Buckley” is how Twilight Singer Greg Dulli describes Afterhours front man Manuel Agnelli. … Agnelli can certainly hit the high notes like Buckley Jr. and the band can rock out with the epic orchestral sweep of “Grace” particularly on the “Desire Froze Here” and the scorching “The Ending Is The Greater”. Can Afterhours do slow burning intensity too? You bet! “Sparkle” shimmers with organ and slide guitar while “The Bed” is barrowing and tinged with regret … highly enjoyable record of passionate, rock songs.
Rating: 4 out of 5

JUKEBOX
Right from the first track you know this is going to be something pretty impressive. From the celestial high vocal to the heady screaming backed up with a huge, expansive, electrifying guitar solo, The Thin White Line is a head rush of a first track that captures the imagination and leaves you craving more. 
rating: 3 out of 5

SCREAMING TARTS (Kat Lynch)
The band who have been highly praised by the likes of REM and Mercury Rev definitely live up to their good reputation with a good blend of melodic rock ballads and louder tracks which really show off front man Manuel Agnelli’s powerful vocals. This is a powerful , punchy rock record and makes a great listen no matter what language you speak.

THE NETHERLANDS

UP MUSIC (Jaks Schuit)
Voorman Manuel Agnelli heft meer hitpotentie en charisma in zijn linkerpink dan veel opgepimpte engelse groepjes. Ballads for little hyenas maakt nieuwsgierig naar de eerdere albums en vooral naar optredens van der groep. Zo snel mogelijk hierheen halen, dus. Afterhours is broeierig,emotioneel en intrigerend. Een groep om in de houde maanden te koesteren.
rating: 85 out of 100

ROCKTRIBUNE (Paul Van de Gehuchte)
…Afterhours draagt zwarte romantiek hoog in het vaandel en neemt een voorbeeld aan onder meer artiesten als PJ Harvey, Hugo Race,Nick Cave and Tindersticks. Ze creeren echter fen totaal eigen geluid waarin de afwisselende vocalen , gitaar en viooleen centrale rol spleen. De songs hebben een lichte artrock toets zonder hoogdravend te worden. Ballads for little hyenas is een evenwichtige plaat waarop fellered rocksongs worden afgewisseld met meer intimistiche ballades. Met deze plaat zou het al vreemd moeten lopen mocht Afterhours niet  over de landsgrenzen enige roem en faam vergaren. Nu het einde van het jaar in zicht komt krijgt deze langspeler alvast een stipnotering mee voor mijn listje van 2005.
rating: 89 out of 100

GPD
De artrock van Afterhours doet sterk denken aan het beste werk van Dulli. Het is de stem van Manuel Agnelli, de onheilspellende nummers en de fraai gestolde donkere romantiek die van deze cd een meesterwerk voor gekwelde zielen maakt. 
rating: **** out of 5

FILEUNDER
… De inmiddels zesde schijf van het Italiaanse Afterhours staat vol met gevoelige pianopingels, ragdunne vioolstrijkjes, maar ook veel jankende gitaren en de met veel vibrato zingende voorman Manuel Agnelli. Voorheen eigenlijk voornamelijk bekend in Italië, maar nu de oversteek wagend naar het Europese podium (in Nederland o.a. al op Eurosonic), hebben Agnelli en de zijnen hun teksten nu ook eens in het Engels opgesteld (hoewel, ooit wel in het Engels begonnen..).  … Geen ballades met vlammende liefdesverklaringen maar rauwe en donkere liedjes kenmerken de stijl van de Italianen. In “Ballad for my little Hyena” en “White Widow” duikt ineens het gitaarspel van John Parish op, de sidekick van Polly Harvey.

KINDA MUSIC (Herman Roggeveen)
…Ballads for Little Hyenas is broeierig en donker van sfeer. Het doet denken aan bijvoorbeeld The Frames, dEUS of The Twilight Singers. Dat laatste is dan weer niet zo vreemd, aangezien Dulli de rol van producer op zich nam. Dat maakt het geluid van Afterhours zeker niet vernieuwend. Maar de meeste nummers steken wél goed in elkaar: mooie opbouw, soms verpletterende climaxen en het prachtige stemgeluid van zanger Manuel Agnelli. …

V-PRO (Mike B. Maandag)
Gezien: Utrecht, Ekko, zaterdag 18 maart 2006.

PLATO (Erwin Zijleman)
Een intense rockplaat die smaakt als een uitstekend bord pasta: naar meer. 
Rating: **** out of 5

PLANET (Rutger Steenbergen)
De poging verdient de aandacht, want ‘Ballads For Little Hyena’s’ is een smaakvol album. De formatie klinkt melancholisch – niet op de laatste plaats door zanger Manuel Agnelli – maar kijkt verder dan het langzame werk. Zo kent opener ‘The Thin White Line’ een mooie climax en combineert ‘Desire Froze Here’ een gitaarhoek met folkviolen. De productie van Klein geeft ‘Ballads For Little Hyena’s’ bovendien een scherp en duister randje mee.

GERMANY

SOUND AND IMAGE
…Manuel Agnelli ist der Chef-Dramaturg und hält die Fäden fest in der Hand. Die kraftvollen Songs seiner Band haben alles, was man von guter Rockmusik erwarten darf: eine leidenschaftliche Handschrift inklusive einer kratzbürstigen bis weichstoppeligen Stimme, Melodien und Harmonien, die sich im Ohr festsetzen, markige Arrangements, die von schneidenden Gitarrensoli, wilden Elektro-Violinen-Exzessen und hämmerndem Schlagzeug begleitet werden. Auf der anderen Seite sind die 5 Herren aber auch jederzeit in der Lage, butterweiche und anrührende Balladen zu inszenieren, ohne dabei auf der berühmten Bananenschale auszurutschen.

TISCALI.DE
BEST ITALIAN RECORD OF THE LAST TEN YEARS 
1. Afterhours – “Quello che non c’è” (Mescal, 2002) 
Betroffen vom Ausstieg des langjährigen Bandmitglieds Iriondo brüskierten Manuel Agnelli & Co ihre Anhänger mit einem in sich gekehrten Meisterwerk voller Inbrunst, Zartheit und Würde. An die Stelle harscher Brüche und Kanten trat die erhabenere Form musikalischer Bitternis. Frontmann Agnelli fand einen berührenden, an Fossati geschulten Erzählton abseits aller Ironie und zauberte mit dem Titeltrack ein italienisches “Losing My Religion” aus dem Hut. …Als Afterhours begint is de zaal gelukkig wat gevulder, met name door een navenant groot deel Italiaanse fans. De opener “Ballad for my Little Hyena” zet meteen de toon van een boeiende en afwisselende set die vooral gebaseerd is op het materiaal van de laatste plaat, waarbij live nog meer opvalt hoeveel goede nummers daarop staan.  Het hoofdprogramma bestaat uit een groep multi-instrumentalisten, die ervoor zorgen dat alle fraaie arrangementen van de plaat ook live uitgevoerd worden, inclusief meerstemmige zangpartijen. De violist pakt regelmatig een tamboerijn, aan de rechterzijde staat een tweede gitarist met ontzettende ’70’s look die regelmatig naar links gaat om toetsen te spelen naast de al eveneens zo uit de muppetshow weggelopen saxofonist. Die laatste speelt ook verdienstelijk toetsen, dwarsfluit, fagot, hobo en mondorgel, en wanneer dat allemaal niet nodig is staat hij gedreven met een tamboerijn te tikken.  En ondanks alles wat er op het podium gebeurt, blijkt Manuel toch de frontman om wie het gaat. Met een indrukwekkende stem schiet hij van zacht en laag (denk Mark Lanegan contreien) omhoog met een rauwe schorre strot met een mooie snik in de uithalen, waarmee hij je behoorlijk weet te raken. Je zou bijna vergeten dat hij ondertussen nog erg verdienstelijk gitaar speelt, en dat met een gebroken pols!  Eén van de leuke intermezzo’s is een voordracht op muziek waarbij hij eerst de Italiaanse tekst op A4 ronddeelt zodat je het zou kunnen volgen. Mits je de taal machtig bent natuurlijk, waarvoor hij zich excuseert omdat de vertaalmachines op internet zo beroerd zijn. …  Aangezien de nummers ook de volwassen popliefhebber zullen aanspreken (zo komt The Bed van Lou Reed ook live langs in een mooie uitvoering), zal het een kwestie van tijd (en marketing) zijn dat deze Italiaanse rockers ook in Nederland geliefd worden. Jammer dat het merchandise-standje niet de Italiaanstalige platen bij zich had, want daar ben ik inmiddels door het duidelijk hoorbare accent in de Engelse nummers en de soepelere zang in de paar Italiaanse nummers eigenlijk ook wel benieuwd naar.

ROUGH TRADE-DE
Afterhours sind DIE italienische Indie-Band überhaupt!    …Trotz der wachsenden Popularität und dem kommerziellen Erfolg sind Afterhours eine Band geblieben, die keine Kompromisse kennt. Ihr Songwriting schafft das seltene Kunstwerk, italienische Melodik den düsteren Sounds zeitgemässer Rockmusik (very noisy!) anzupassen, ihre Texte sprechen besonders die neurotische Jugend der italienischen Metropolen an. Mit “Ballads for little Hyenas” (2005) veröffentlichten Afterhours ihr sechstes Studioalbum, das erste in englischer Sprache. Es finden sich hier elf sphärische und mit Keyboard unterlegte Songs, durchmischt mit ruhigeren Balladen und gelegentlichen Ausflügen in den Noise- und Prog-Rock. Dominiert wird das Album von der ausdrucksstarken Stimme Manuel Agnellis, welcher darüber hinaus in Italien noch als Schriftsteller und Produzent bekannt ist. Als ausgesprochene Liveband haben die Konzerte von Afterhours längst Kultcharakter…

WESTZEIT
…Für elf kraftvolle und wunderbar atmosphärische Rocksongs muss noch Zeit sein.   
Rating: *** out of 5

MUSICOUTLOOK
Den Popsong stilisieren… Mal kratzig, dann Lo-Fi, zuweilen rockig aber auch emphatisch und weltverloren. Zentralöistisch wirkt in diesem Popgebilde Sänger Manuel Agnelli. Er trägt die last des sündigen Popsongs auf seinen Schultern, er kreist zwischen Orbit und Sonnensystem, peitscht die Songs humorlos nach vorne oder lässt den Hörer sanft entgleiten.

BUMBANET.DE
… Düsterer und melancholischer Rock prägt „ballads for little hyenas”, es finden sich hier elf sphärische und mit Keyboard unterlegte Songs, durchmischt mit ruhigeren Balladen und gelegentlichen Ausflügen in den Prog-Rock. Dominiert wird das Album von der ausdrucksstarken Stimme Manuel Agnellis, welcher darüber hinaus in Italien noch als Schriftsteller und Produzent Berühmtheit erlangt hat. Textlich erzählt dieser, passend zur Musik, Geschichten von Verlust und Einsamkeit…

DENMARK

GAFFA (Lars Löbner Jeppesen)
Dunkel Greg Dulli-produceret rockskive fra støvlelandet … Afterhours-sangeren Manuel Agnelli besidder en raspende rå røst, der skærer igennem bandets dunkle skumringsrock, som lyder som en sydende storladen blanding af The Doors, Alice In Chains, Queen, Screaming Trees, Queens Of The Stone Age og danske Baal. Ligesom Kents Isola-album, der findes i en udgave på engelsk og en på modersmålet, har Afterhours også indspillet dette album på italiensk med titlen Ballate Per Piccole Iene. Den udgave indeholder dog ikke Dulli-duetten.  
rating: **** out of 6

KICK MUSIC
…Ballads For Little Hyenas har et meget tydeligt Greg Dulli præg, og han har da også turneret som aktiv musiker med bandet i Italien hen over sommeren. En tur, hvor der i øvrigt også blev plads til et par koncerter med besøg af Mark Lanegan fra Queens of the Stone Age. På albummet lægger Greg Dulli stemme til en duet på Lou Reed covernummeret ‘The Bed’ – desuden spiller han adskillige instrumenter og har udover at producere også været med til at skrive flere numre.

SWEDEN

BORDER MUSIC
Afterhours är kanske det intressantaste som kommit från Italien sen Pasolini. Men så har också One Little Indian upptäckte dem! Bandet har blivit jämfört med både Mercury Rev och Twilight Singers. Kanske för deras lite drömska, atmosfäriska musik. Plattan är producerad av Greg Dulli, frontman i Twilight Singers och mixad av John Parish, samarbetspartner med PJ Harvey.

SOUNDVENUE
Lad det være skrevet med det samme: ‘Ballads for Little Hyenas’ er ikke det album, som én gang for alle fjerner en eventuel sund tvivl om, hvorvidt der nogensinde måtte komme overbevisende katakombermørk og guitartung rockmusik fra Italien. Det er godt nok dystert, og det er også sine steder guitartungt, men det virker i vid udstrækning fortænkt og poleret….Albummets bedste momenter opstår de steder, hvor et tætvævet mørkt stemningstæppe sænkes ned over melodi og vokal, og hvor stemningen får lov at brede sig i takt med det bagvedlallende molstemte piano. Det fungerer og giver mindelser om både Cave og Harvey….Hvad der derimod ikke fungerer, er de mange kedelige rock-poppede guitarstøttede numre med frontmand Manuel Agnellis (påtagne?) raspede stemme i forgrunden. Havde man haft fordomme om italiensk rock i forvejen, så er disse numre glimrende tidspunkter at lufte dem på. Numrene bærer alle præg af at ville være farlige og rå, men fremstår i virkeligheden lige så autentisk rå som en en solariebrun mandlig jurastuderende med diamantøreringe….Skulle jeg tage fejl, og måtte der rent faktisk være nosser i ‘Ballads for Little Hyenas’, så er det vist uden for enhver diskussion, at de er glatbarberede.

BELGIUM

HEAVEN (Marcel Van Driel)
Soms moet je als recensent uitkijken dat je albums niet te hoog waardeert, alleen maar omdat ze met kop en schouders boven het aanbod van de rest van de maand uitsteken. Want zo goed is Ballads for the Little Hyenas nou ook weer niet. Maar dit eerste Engelstalige album van de Italiaanse band Afterhours combineert wel op verrassende wijze de intensiteit van het oudere werk van REM met de rock van Afghan Wings (niet geheel toevallig ook geproduceerd door Greg Dulli). Mooie plaat.

SPAIN

MONDOSONORO (Octavio Botana)
… Sonido compacto y letras muy dignas convierten este disco en un secreto a voces que debes comenzar a propagar. En su web dicen: “Afterhours no vendrán a por ti, tú llegarás a ellos”. Pues eso.

INDYROCK (Fátima Carmena)
El disco, el octavo de su trayectoria está formado por un conjunto de canciones llenas de musicalidad y armonía, con violines, fuertes guitarras en contraste y con el diamante del grupo, la voz de su cantante Manuel Agnelli que está dando toda la gira con un brazo escayolado. El concierto fue a las 8 de la tarde, ni un minuto más ni uno menos, y se alargó a más de dos horas en la Pequeña sala que encierra la Gran sala Paradiso. Por este motivo, el concierto fue mucho más emotivo y el público, mitad italiano viviendo en la ciudad y mitad gente que no sabía muy bien a que iba, se involucró durante todo el concierto en fomentar que la banda diera todo lo que podían dar. Y así fue. … De todas maneras lo más probable es que el grupo siga dando conciertos fuera de Italia, como el de la Sala Moby Dick en Madrid el mes pasado, por lo que si tenéis oportunidad de verlos en directo no os lo perdáis porque es todo un espectáculo musical… es un disco de rock rotundo habla de pérdida y de ausencia, busca e implora comprensión, pero no resignación, un disco de rock fuerte y valiente lleno de pinceladas de la mejor música negra…