Soup...an Under-appreciated Final Gem

Just two full length albums of material were released by Blind Melon before Shannon Hoon self destructed, overdosed, and died in 1995 while on tour in support of the band’s second album, Soup.

Blind Melon was unlike other bands of their era. They weren’t as aggressive or dour as the majority of grunge acts. Nor were they loud and unrelenting like Trent Reznor’s fantastically popular nine inch nails. The So. Cal. band, formed in 1989, was trippy and emotional, good-natured and intelligent despite the frequent internal problems most notably those suffered by Hoon.

The brilliance and promise of Blind Melon was undeniable at the time of their eponymous debut in 1992. The band consisting of Shannon Hoon (vocals, words), Brad Smith (bass), Roger Stevens (guitar), Glenn Graham (drums), and Christopher Thorn (guitar) blasted onto mainstream radio with an upbeat song about loneliness and uniqueness called No Rain. On the strength of this song, Hoon’s work with Guns n’ Roses, and a great deal of hype the album was a smash and eventually would go platinum…four times over. But No Rain wasn’t alone in it’s brilliance. Other tracks like Tones of Home, Change, Deal Ol’ Dad, and Time are equally wonderful and perfectly evocative.

After Blind Melon’s early success, the band found themselves in the position of making a second album. Hoon continued to have massive drug problems…apparently if there was a substance, he felt compelled to abuse it. Anyway, after performances with the likes of Neil Young, the Rolling Stones, and Lenny Kravitz Blind Melon came back together to record the decidedly darker follow-up Soup. It wasn’t what fans of the first album expected. Rather, it reflected the darkness in Hoon’s life and his continuing problems.

Soup got a lukewarm reception by critics and buyers alike, an unfortunate response to a better than average album. But it’s easy to see why individuals expecting the second release to be a repeat of the first would be disappointed. The album never rose above the 28th position on Billboard. Soon after the release, Blind Melon hit the road once again. The temptation was too much for the troubled Hoon. He died soon thereafter on October 21st of 1995 on the band’s tour bus.

Nothing was ever the same. Nothing could have been the same. A year or so later, the remaining band members regrouped and released an album titled Nico consisting of previously unreleased/rough tracks. The album bore Hoon’s infant daughter’s name and the band donated much of the proceeds to a charity organization dedicated to helping artists recover from substance abuse.

It’s probable that the lasting memory of Blind Melon will be of No Rain and that strange little bee girl. But with that said, the band had much more to offer musically. Soup was a good album despite what sour critics insisted in 1995. It contains fourteen tracks produced and engineered by Andy Wallace (Sheryl Crow, The Cult, Ben Folds Five, Luscious Jackson). Soup should have been awarded more attention. But the fact remains that between death, change, drug abuse, and rejection the album was forgotten.

Soup kicks off with one of the most straight forward songs on the album. Hoon’s lyrics are usually centered on his personal experiences, and Galaxie is no exception. Low and based in both rock and folk, the track speaks about sour relationships in the usual unconventional words Hoon commonly employed. It twists and turns around layers and melodies. It is a great rock track with a sound unique to Blind Melon.

2x4 continues down the same rock path with multi-layered rootsy guitars and Graham’s stellar drums. But the fact remains that the real star here is Hoon’s star presence, his distinctive warbling vocal style, and his words. This track, reminiscent of 70’s classic rock greats like Led Zeppelin, should have been a hit. The guitar solos, vocal extremes, and lovingly crafted melodies are irresistible…despite the fact that the lyrics detail Hoon’s vain attempts to kick his addiction(s).

And inside, air dry
I might want to go another way
But you see now I'm too pale to get out
Into the lovely light of day

It’s on songs like Car Seat and The Duke that Hoon seems the most troubled. They are great songs, indeed, but it hurts the heart to have to suffer in the way the he obviously did while alive. The same can be said for Toes Across the Floor, St. Andrew’s Fall and Wilt. But it’s on New Life that listeners will realize that indeed Hoon had everything to live for. He begs for his life back and to be a father figure. At the same time he is overjoyed with his new family, he is also questioning his own place. It’s so very happy, but also rather depressing:

'Cause now she's telling me she'll have my baby
And a father figure I am to be
When I'm looking into the eyes of our own baby
Will it bring new life into me?

Another track of interest is Skinned, a tongue-in-cheek country rock track. I say tongue-in-cheek because the feel of the track is upbeat, but since it’s very obviously written from the perspective of notoriously cannibalistic serial killer Ed Gein the song becomes absolutely hilarious. Hoon speaks specifically about making shoehorns, lampshades, plant stands, coffee tables, and the like about human parts. And then there’s the hilariously off-kilter kazoo. An absolute must-listen…

There are a few less perfect tracks…Toes Across The Floor doesn’t seem to go anywhere. Much the same can be said for the upbeat though not particularly interesting Mouthful of Cavities. Lemonade and Vernie also are comparatively boring.

Soup is a good album in which there are a few flashes of brilliance. For individuals not so keen on the grunge rock era, Blind Melon is a great place to turn. Hoon is talented, as are the four other founding members. The debut is a slightly better album and should therefore be purchased first, but please don’t pass over Soup because it lacks a hit.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Track Listing:
01. Galaxie
02. 2x4
03. Vernie
04. Skinned
05. Toes Across the Floor
06. Walk
07. Dump Truck
08. Car Seat (God’s Presents)
09. Wilt
10. The Duke
11. St. Andrew’s Fall
12. New Life
13. Mouthful of Cavities
14. Lemonade