Soul Asylum: The Missing Piece

I always feel there are two camps when it comes to Soul Asylum. The first is the people who loved them from the time they were a small Minneapolis band called "Loud Fast Rules" and followed their guitar rock hooks and swinging hair all the way up to their college rock breakthrough album Hang Time. Then there are the Soul Asylum fans who’s first introduction to the band was the multi-platinum Grave Dancer’s Union album with it’s mega hit “Runaway Train”, which lead then down the adult alternative tracks

Unfortunately these two schools of Soul Asylum thought will always miss a very vital piece the band's history. After the Soul Asylum enjoyed the college radio success of the  power hook filled hit "Cartoon" and  just a few years before their smash album would lead the band to perform at Bill Clinton's 1992 Presidential inauguration, Soul Asylum released the way too overlooked 1990 album .....And The Horse They Road In On. 

The album kicks off with a a perfect Soul Asylum song called "Spinnin". The song contains tons of hook, tons of movement and tons of fun.

Track 2 "Bitter Pill" shows Soul Asylum can still bring the "Loud" from it's former name.

"Veil Of Tears" slows it down for Track 3 but the song is still very upbeat and you can tell the band is having a good time playing it for us.

Track 4 "Nice Guys Don't Get Paid" is a laid back song with the feel of a few guys hanging out on the corner while playing guitars with a small group of friends.

Track 5 "Something Out Of Nothing" shows the band can even get a little funky.

The very autobiographical "Gullible's Travels" brings the first side of the album to a close. With lyrics such as "Guess I wore out my welcome, it's better than being alone" , "Everythings turning but mostly just turning out wrong", "Just another lost journey" the band is talking about after looking back at the band Soul Asylum had been for the past ten years and what's the next step? Did they wish to stay that kind of band or was it now time to move on.

Side Two kicks off with the guys back down on that street corner for Track 7's "Brand New Shine"

Track 8 "Easy Street" as well as Track 10 "Be On Your Way" are two more upbeat hook filled song both with very positive and  inspirational autobiographical lyrics, especially when on Track 10 Dave Pirner sings "I need something to feel, the rest of my life's not in vain"

Track 11 "We 3" once again slows it down, gets quiet and adds some piano. The song, probably one of the best ones Soul Asylum recorded, perfectly brings to the listener the feeling which comes with constantly being a third wheel. 

But old Soul Asylum was not going to go so quietly. No, they are going to be "Loud, Fast, Rules" one more time and go into the band's  next phase with a bang. The closing song "All The King's Men", with it's very down tuned guitars, Grant Young's  heavy drums, Bassist Karl Mueller's pounding bass, Dave Pirner's voice getting lower and lower until it almost sounds evil and Dan Murphy's out of control guitar solo was the perfect way to do it.

The main reasons And The Horse They Road In On never really received much credit was because the production was just not that great. Steve Jordan, the original drummer for the Saturday Night Live Band as well as bands with Eric Clapton and now John Mayer, may have not been the best pick to record the album. Although the band was going for a more stripped down sound, instead the production sounded rather hollow; something they would definitely fix with the very full sound of the Micheal Beinhorn produced Grave Dancers Union. 

Unfortunately sales of the album probably will never warrant it a remaster. The solution: Listen with your volume control turned up LOUD. 

It's always worked for me.