Soup starts and ends with a New Orleans brass band and in the middle are 14 tracks with musical style hard to categorize. Interestingly, this is Blind Melon whose self-titled debut album in 1992 was simple, old-fashioned rock. Soup 's sound is heavier and jazzier than its predecessor. Fans of "No Rain" and the ubiquitous Bee Girl won't find much to relate to on this album where the closest thing to a hit single is "Galaxie". Blind Melon had an upbeat, easy going style while Soup has murkier ingredients. Three strange tracks look at violent, suicidal, murderous death - "St. Andrew's Fall" (suicide by jumping off a building), "Car Seat (God's Presence)" (South Carolina child murder case), and "Skinned" (serial killer Ed Gein).
Obviously, Blind Melon has changed a good bit from its LA formation in 1990. Mississippi natives Rogers Stevens (guitar) and Brad Smith (bass) joined with Christopher Thorn (guitar), Glen Graham (drums) and Shannon Hoon (vocals), produced a demo tape and began to tour even before their first album was made. The band toured for two years opening for the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Lenny Kravitz; Blind Melon was pushed to the top of the charts with intensive, 300 days a year touring. "No Rain"'s single success enabled the band to move into headlining small shows and gained them a spot at Woodstock '94. After a much needed vacation, Blind Melon reassembled to cook some Soup with each member bringing contributions. The variety of input contributes to the title as well as the mixture of musical styles.
Soup is a hodgepodge - hard to classify. Its different styles make it an album to be listened to several times before forming an opinion. No huge singles, no bee girls, no great riffs or hooks, but still an album that draws you back for another listen. The most serious problem with Soup is the lyrics which are frequently incomprehensible and unintelligible. Hoon's vocals have a sameness of phrasing from track to track and his continuing desire to sing in a too-high register detract from the lyrics that can be heard. Second thoughts on buying the album are inevitable but it is recommended as an odd charmer for your collection.
