Soul Asylum
I actually never really got into Soul Asylum during the “Runaway Train” days (I was still pretty much only listening to music from the 60s at that point), but I did wear the…um…wavelength semiconductor laser off my CD player (just doesn’t have the same ring to it as “needle off my record player” does it?) listening to Let Your Dim Light Shine in high school.
After that, they kind of fell off my radar, and I never really noticed that they hadn’t released an album in about a decade. But they’re back with a new album The Silver Lining, to be released on July 11th. It’s dedicated to their bassist, Karl Mueller, who recorded the record with them before succumbing to cancer in June of 2005.
A couple of the songs are available, and they sound pretty good.
This is the new single. It definitely has the old Soul Asylum feel, very Minnesota, reminiscent of the Replacements, Husker Du and all the goodies. Lots of short, punchy lines. Lots of repetition of the title. It definitely helps to generate the feeling that I ought to be pumping my fists during the chorus, but it also feels just a bit formulaic. It kind of sounds like a song designed to be a single, if you know what I mean? Which isn’t terrible – it’s just not as interesting as maybe it could have been.
However, they’ve got another song up on their Myspace page called “Oxygen” that sounds great. It has a bit more edge and a great quiet/loud dynamic. It’s definitely got me excited to hear the whole record.
They’re playing some shows in July. Tour dates are available on their myspace page. I’m going to miss them, but hopefully they’ll release some more dates and maybe make a bigger Northeast swing.