Artist: Blind Melon
Album: Blind Melon
Released: September 14, 1992
It seems like there were a lot of bands back in the '90s that are still vaguely remembered for one or two hits but otherwise have faded into relative obscurity. It's a theme that I have already hit on several times since starting this blog. Blind Melon certainly falls into that category, and they are an especially sad case because lead singer Shannon Hoon died from a drug overdose in 1995, just weeks after they released their second album.
Whenever a band loses their lead singer or another influential member during the peak of their success (or at least when it appears they still have a lot left in the tank), it's easy to think about what would have happened had that person survived. Sometimes, it's hard to say. But it appears that Blind Melon's success may have been short lived in either case. Their first album, self-titled, was released in 1992 and put an interesting twist on the alternative rock that was exploding at that time. They mixed alternative with some elements of Southern and psychedelic rock that made for a great album; at the same time, it would have been virtually impossible to replicate it without sounding repetitive. Indeed, they didn't even try, as their second album, Soup, was different and not nearly as successful or well-known. After Hoon died, they did little of note before disbanding.
Though the rest of the story is pretty rough, Blind Melon is an enjoyable album and adds some nice variety to my music rotation. If you had a radio on throughout the '90s you probably heard "No Rain" quite a bit. It's certainly a classic from that time and one of my personal favorite hits, but it isn't representative of what's on the rest of the album. You'll get a good sense of what Hoon offers in terms of vocals, but the Southern/psychedelic sound is far less apparent here.
The album actually starts off with two harder, faster-paced rock tracks with "Soak the Sin" and "Tones of Home"; I slightly prefer the former, though I like them both. The album shifts more towards psychdelic rock starting at track three. "I Wonder" is one of my favorites; Hoon's voice blends well with the riffs, yet is just edgy enough at times to make it a song that I can really get into. "Paper Scratcher" is pretty good too; overall it's lighter, yet mixes in a few heavier parts that make them sound like Metallica. "Dear Ol' Dad" is mellow and good in its own way but perhaps not quite as strong. Some people still remember "Change" as a mildly successful hit, but it is one of my least favorites. It seems like they were trying for a popular radio hit while also adding some slower variety to the rest of the album, but didn't really succeed at either.
"Change" and "No Rain" serve as a bridge to the second half of the album, which takes a turn towards Southern style rock. "Deserted" is a great song; I am tempted to say it is my favorite track on the whole album. The vocals are intense, possibly Hoon's best, while there seems to be a perfect blend of fast and slow, psychedelic and alternative. "Sleepyhouse" is good, but at some points the sound seems forced and doesn't flow well. "Holyman" is more up tempo with a strong Southern bent, which distinguishes it a little from the other tracks. However, by this point it appears that they have carried this sound about as far as it will go. "Seed to a Tree" is pretty nondescript; "Drive", at a much slower pace, and "Time", the final song that tries to send the album out with a bang, are decent but aren't really that much different from the rest of the album and therefore not particularly memorable.
So, with this one album, Blind Melon made their own unique mark on early '90s rock. Even if they did virtually nothing else or don't have nearly as strong of a following as other bands from this time, this is still an album that is worth listening to. Maybe it isn't useful for capturing what early '90s music is all about, but it's still an album you can stick in your CD player and enjoy.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Soak the Sin (4:01) - 9/10
2. Tones of Home (4:27) - 9/10
3. I Wonder (5:33) - 10/10
4. Paper Scratcher (3:13) - 9/10
5. Dear Ol' Dad (3:01) - 8/10
6. Change (3:41) - 7/10
7. No Rain (3:37) - 10/10
8. Deserted (4:20) - 10/10
9. Sleepyhouse (4:28) - 9/10
10. Holyman (4:47) - 8/10
11. Seed to a Tree (3:29) - 7/10
12. Drive (4:40) - 8/10
13. Time (6:02) - 8/10
