Blind Melon Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Of all the '90s alt-rockers to hit the comeback trail a decade later, Blind Melon are at once the most and least likely to mount a return. Their end came suddenly when lead singer/songwriter Shannon Hoon died of a drug overdose in October 1995, just a few months after their sophomore effort, Soup, so it seemed like they had a great deal of unfinished business. Unfortunately, much of that unfinished business revolved around Hoon, who was the driving force behind the band, so it seemed like they couldn't continue -- and so they didn't, fading away after putting out a few posthumous albums that tied up some, but not all, loose ends. About a decade later, the group rumbled back to life, defying all odds and finding in singer Travis Warren a dead ringer for Shannon Hoon who nevertheless doesn't seem to be aping the late singer's idiosyncratic quirks. Thanks in part to Warren, the group's 2008 comeback, For My Friends, feels like a continuation of the band's '90s work, reflecting the elastic, loping Blind Melon more than the neo-psychedelic excursions of Soup. To a certain extent, this sound -- lean and rootsy, even when the amps are cranked -- gives Blind Melon a passing jam band feel, and that could very well be where the band might be most comfortable in 2008, as there's a sense that the bandmembers just want to get out and play, so they're reconnecting to the roots that led to their 1992 debut. As such, there's not a feeling of forward movement on For My Friends, but that's intentional: this was designed as a reboot of Blind Melon, something for themselves, their fans and friends, and while it won't win them any new listeners -- everything that the fans loved about the band is here in spades, as is everything that irritated the group's detractors -- it surely does find the band picking up where it left off. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Continuing the flood of posthumous Blind Melon product released in conjunction with the tenth anniversary of Shannon Hoon's death in 1995, Live at the Palace captures a show the quintet gave in Hollywood on October 11, 1995, a mere ten days before Hoon's passing. The group was on the road promoting its second album, Soup, and this live record logically leans heavily on that LP; six of the 12 tunes here were from that sophomore effort, which was only two months old at the time of the show. Blind Melon sound leaner, rawer on-stage than they did on record, which does have a nice effect of serving as an appropriate accompaniment for Hoon's raspy vocals, which are the first sign that things weren't necessarily all right in the Blind Melon camp. Hoon never sounds completely out of it on Live at the Palace, but he sounds as if he's teetering on the brink of losing it, particularly in the rough sandpaper tones of his voice and how he occasionally slips into a slight slur. Given his fate, it's a little easier, in retrospect, to hear how his performance shows signs of wear and tear, but at the time, this show must have sounded like just another solid concert. And to a certain extent it still does, while for hardcore fans there is a poignant undercurrent due to Hoon's early death. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Most '90s rock bands who enjoyed massive breakthrough success with their debut album seemed to follow it up with an effort similarly styled to its predecessor, hence guaranteeing repeat success. This proved not to be the case with Blind Melon. It appeared as though the band rejected the jovial spirit of No Rain and focused on much darker material for their follow-up, Soup. While it did not match the commercial success of the debut, Soup proved to be a challenging, gripping record that is just as strong and perhaps even more rewarding. Shannon Hoon was in the throes of drug addiction (which would prove fatal only two months after the album's release), and his experience at a drug detox is clearly detailed in the Zep-groover, "2x4." Hoon's lyrics often examine his growing sense of mortality, as evidenced in "The Duke," "St. Andrew's Fall," and "Car Seat," while "New Life" shows Hoon hoping that the birth of his baby daughter will put his life back on track. The country-tinged "Skinned" is written from the standpoint of notorious killer, Ed Gein, the anthemic rocker, "Galaxie," appears to deal with a troubled relationship, and "Vernie" is a tribute to his grandmother. Some of the tracks prove hopeful ("Walk"), while others are steeped in despair ("Toes Across the Floor," "Wilt"). Soup deserved to be another big hit, but due to MTV and radio's abrupt abandonment of the band, harsh reviews from close-minded critics, and worst of all, Hoon's untimely death mid-tour, all hopes of the album receiving the attention it deserved were extinguished. Soup is one of the most underrated and overlooked great rock albums of the '90s. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Managing to be equally mellow and introspective as well as rough and rocking, Blind Melon's 1992 self-titled debut remains one of the purest sounding rock albums of recent time, completely devoid of '90s production tricks. While the group was never the toast of the critics, their self-titled 1992 debut has held up incredibly well over time, resembling a true rock classic. For reasons unknown, the late Shannon Hoon was, unfairly, usually the brunt of reviewer's criticisms, yet his angelic voice and talent for penning lyrics that examined the ups and downs of everyday life were an integral part of Blind Melon's sound, as well as the band's supreme jamming interplay. The most renowned song remains the uplifting hit "No Rain," but the whole album is superb -- the homesick rocker "Tones of Home," the desperate "I Wonder," the epic album closer, "Time," and the gentle acoustic strum of "Change," which included lyrics that turned out to be sadly prophetic for Hoon. Other highlights are a song inspired by the homeless ("Paper Scratcher"), "Sleepyhouse," which describes the feeling of isolation the band felt recording the debut in a secluded residence, and the retro (yet refreshing) sounds of "Soak the Sin" and "Dear Ol' Dad." Although the album started out slow sales-wise, constant touring and the success of "No Rain" one year after the debut's initial release proved to be Blind Melon's breakthrough success, eventually almost topping the charts and going multi-platinum. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide
