Customer Reviews

While You Were Out

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

You wouldn't know it from their later work, but in the mid 1980's, nobody could touch these guys for flat out, big fun, ear bleeding straight ahead rock and roll, (with a little punk rock mixed in, not to mention an occasional Bad Company cover). You can still relive the glory days with "While you Were Out" and the companion "Made to Be Broken". From the fade in of 'Freaks', the eleven tracks come awfully close to replicating the intensity of their live show. If you were lucky enough to see them in the day, close your eyes and drift back to when 'alternative' rock was for college radio only, no one even knew where Seattle was, and half your records were from Twin Tone. Then again, I only bought the CD because my cassette bootleg finally gave it up after fifteen years.

Anyone else out there just a little tired of Soul Asylum's new found depth and maturity? well take a stroll back to early 1980s and listen to this. Dave and co at their best. Full-on punk sound reminiscent of latter-day Husker Du. Hey, you've even got the original Closer To the Stars (not the Candy... bonus track) so you can hear how it should've sounded. My only regret? Never seeing these guys when they had this fire in their souls...

This is an old Soul Asylum record, and it really doesn't sound like "Runaway Train" or the newer Soul Asylum records. The biggest difference between this record and later Soul Asylum records is the speed of the songs. They blast through 10 songs in under 30 minutes, and then take a breather at the end with "Passing Sad Daydream" If you like Husker Du or The Replacements then get yourself a copy, but you can't have mine.

This has got to be the second best Soul Asylum album that exists. (The best being Made To Be Broken) It features songs like Miracle Mile, which is probably in my top ten favorite Soul Asylum songs, along with Closer to the Stars and Never Too Soon. The best song on this album, hands down, is track 4, Crashing Down, which sends chills down my spine each time I hear it. It's definitely an album worth buying. Go out and get it, and if you don't have Made to be Broken, get that one too!

If you got into Soul Asylum via "Runaway Train", this album probably is not for you, but it has two of my all-time favorite Soul Asylum songs: Closer to the Stars and Miracle Mile. Not a perfect album like "Hang Time", or "Horse They Rode In On", but enough guts and heart to merit a solid 4 stars...