(This has also been a 5 Word Challenge entry)
Album Review: Soul Coughing – Irresistible Bliss
Soul Coughing's 1996 creation may be known best for the first track on the album, "Super Bon Bon", but a few of the other songs on the album have also received some notoriety, including "Soundtrack to Mary", "Soft Serve" and "Disseminated".
Nothing on this album, not even the keyboard samplings, is perfunctory. Everything is intended to throw you further into the groove, from the intuitive lyrics sung/spoken by lyricist/lead M. (Mike) Doughty to the precision drums by Yuval Gabay. A conglomerate of emotions is expressed through the often repetitive but never stale voice and sampler work that haunts the songs. Inane observations mixed with a hint of the sardonic draw the listener in and seem to burn on in the head long after the songs are over.
I think this is probably Soul Coughing's best album. Unfortunately, due in part to his flagitious addiction to heroin, Mike Doughty broke up the band in 2000, or else we might have seen influences from today's hip-hop/jazz/rock scene create an even more engaging album.
Mike Doughty has since beat his addiction and produced a couple of solo albums (Skittish/Rockity Roll and Haughty Melodic), both of which possess the same intensity and hypnoticism of Soul Coughing's earlier work, but lack some of the rounded feel the band provided. They are definitely a must-listen, but Irresistable Bliss still is my number one recommendation to anyone who wants to get familiar with the band, or rediscover Mike Doughty's melodic roots.
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June 7th, 2007 on 11:47 AM
Ruby Vroom was a masterpiece. I haven't delved into the rest of their stuff. This is sounding great at first blush.
June 7th, 2007 on 12:49 PM
Love this whole album….got hooked by "Super Bon Bon" and then sucked into the rest.
June 7th, 2007 on 1:51 PM
Oh, well done! All the words, incorporated seamlessly into a review with no sign of strain or falsity. Harder to do than in fiction when you can twist the plot or setting to fit the words. A toast to you!
June 7th, 2007 on 2:16 PM
What a great review and use of those words. ;-)
June 7th, 2007 on 2:35 PM
Thanks you guys…I've had the idea for an album review that used the words for a couple of weeks now, and this seemed like the perfect time to write it.Abby, Ruby Vroom is definitely an excellent album. I'd rate it #2 of their work right after Bliss. If you're on the fence I can share more of the album for you to check out.