There's a classic in my soup.

While many bands were happy to regurgitate the same material
with the belief it would keep fans happy, Blind Melon committed the ultimate crime in attempting to create a different sound to their first album. Sadly this second record was the band's last full studio album. While the posthumous 'Nico' contained a few highlights, this record stands as the finest recordings made by the short-lived group.

After an up-tempo optimistic debut album, Shannon Hoon found a more downtrodden melodic sound on 'Soup'. The happy riffs and light-hearted nature of the bands first disc is replaced here by good variations and a musical mix not centred on any specific ideals. Hoons evolution as a songwriter and vocalist is fully realised on an album of surprises and generally successful forays into a new musical direction for the group. Standout tracks include rocking lament of 'Galaxie','2x4' with it's screaming guitar solo. 'Toes Across The Floor' has an edge of futility and sadness, while sixth track 'Walk' could be seen as a two fingered salute of resent against fair-weather 'fans' who saw the band as merely "the group that sing 'No Rain'..and eh...that’s all."

Further evidence of the changing tones and musical expanse of the album are found on the haunting 'Car Seat' which uses stark pianos' offset by vocal harmonies to tell it's sorry story finishing with a low treated rendition of an 111 year old poem revering the faith of God after the horror in the lyrics written by Hoon. An old fashioned riff heavy rocker follows in the shape of 'Wilt' while the stripped down solitude found on 'The Duke' precedes the more hopeful tone of 'New Life' the record's hopeful tone doesn't continue for long though, as the more self pitying 'Mouthful Of Cavities' leads to the slightly disappointing finisher 'Lemonade' (saved only by it's catchy refrain)

This album contains far more upsides than down (though certainly in a musical sense rather than in tone) but has a darker ultimately more satisfying quality and richness to the tracks then the band's first (self titled) album.
With a willingness to try out a number of different new sounds and some fine musical arrangements coupled to the bands ever present vitality, 'Soup' is a fine album in it's own right. At times it scales the to the levels of rock classic, and despite it's somewhat negative vibe (in both content and how it was received upon it's release) 'Soup' remains the best album from a hugely under appreciated and tragic band. Sentimentality however has nothing to do with highly recommending this fine record for any fans of thoughtful talented rock musicians.