1994 In Review: Soul Coughing

1994 In Review: Soul Coughing - "Ruby Vroom"

If any album from 1994 perfectly encapsulates the major labels' "anything goes" attitude of the time, it's probably Ruby Vroom. Released during a tense time during which the industry was trying to figure out what alternative was now that Kurt Cobain was gone, Soul Coughing's debut album was a thing of weird beauty; sample-heavy jazz rock laced with beat poetry and off-kilter hip hop references, it wasn't the easiest thing to categorize. The rhythm section of Sebastien Steinberg and Yuval Gabay kept it tight and funky, while Mark Degli Antoni brought a myriad of strange sounds and samples to the mix. Throw in Mike Doughty's freak folk poetry and you had one of the oddest bands to receive the endorsement of a major label in the '90s.

Yet, as weird and potentially off-putting as it all was on paper, Ruby Vroom brought the goods; strange yet strangely inviting, it boasted a bevvy of formidable tunes. The lazy jazz-funk drone of Screenwriter's Blues, the easy-going, lightly thumping True Dreams Of Wichita, the old-timey, hip hop flavoured Down To This, the jangling and dance-able Blue Eyed Devil, all top notch songs barely concealed under a layer of curious noise.

Even the weirdest stuff had charm; witness the maniacal Casiotone Nation, the abrasive Bus To Beelzebub, or the twitchy, reggae-tinged Uh, Zoom Zip. Even at its most difficult, it's easy to hear something pleasant, whether it's the rhythm itself or the colourful noise in the background.

Time has rendered Soul Coughing all but forgotten, and the band itself went through a messy, ugly break-up that all but assures we won't ever have them back. Still, they deserve a legacy as one of the '90s most unique, and uniquely accessible, bands. There's no better example of their one-of-a-kind chemistry than Ruby Vroom.

September 27, 1994 • Slash/Warner Bros.

Highlights True Dreams of Wichita • Screenwriters Blues • Down To This

Comments

Year in Rock 2025

Alright, I've got some explaining to do. By now anyone who's visited this blog is well aware of how infrequently I've used this space in recent years; aside from the occasional fertile year of content, I really haven't posted all that often over the last five years or so. There are many reasons for this, which have already been outlined in previous apology posts; but, essentially, it boils down to my own laziness and the cold reality that blogs are, like Refused (again), fucking dead. So, I wouldn't hold my breath for a triumphant return to reviews, or even semi-regular posts, but: a) I feel like Year in Rock posts have always belonged here and, even though I've experimented with different methods of presentation recently and been satisfied, the "blink and you missed it" unveiling via Facebook stories this year was perhaps ultimately a disservice to the records I lauded. After all, cramming the list into short videos isn't too far off from ju...

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #10-1

Now we're getting somewhere; the top ten, where there are no duds or mids, only bangers. Also, no more teasing it out; let's wrap this up! What I've learned this year from my ten faves this year is that it is indeed still possible for a dude approaching his fifties to more or less stay up to date on the new school. Of course, there are some listed here that got a boost from playing tribute to the old school, but there is an undercurrent happening in rock that points to the future. But, I'm getting ahead of myself; here come the champs. 10 MILITARIE GUN Life Under the Gun June 23, 2023 • Loma Vista Highlights Very High Will Logic Never Fucked Up Once Rising from the ranks of the still-potent L.A. hardcore scene, the debut record from Militarie Gun (following a trio of EPs) bears a dash of polish that's expected with backing from a larger label; the tension and energy remain, though, resulting in one of the catchiest hardcore albums I can think of in recent years. 9 ...

Year in Rock 2023: Album of the Year #15-11

Alright, enough messing around. Let's cozy on up to the top 10. 15 THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM History Books October 27, 2023 • Rich Mahogany/Thirty Tigers Highlights History Books Autumn Michigan, 1975 It's not easy for a band to come back from nearly a decade away and simply pick up where they left off; it makes sense, then, that The Gaslight Anthem don't really try. Instead, their sixth album takes a more measured approach that's somewhat akin to a juiced up version of Brian Fallon's solo records. I personally would have preferred a little more fire in the collective belly, but otherwise everything there is to love about this band is fully intact. 14 ROYAL THUNDER Rebuilding the Mountain June 16, 2023 • Spinefarm Highlights The Knife Now Here - No Where Fade Coming a long six years after the enthralling, expansive WICK , Royal Thunder reemerges down one member with a somewhat stripped down sound in turn. Having said this, singer/bassist Mlny Parsons has long been the s...

SOUND BITES

Search This Blog