Blind Melon - So underrated.

another reason to watch this doc! tons of live footage and of him noodling on guitar. i will say that the band seems pretty solid.

Is there a thread for when bands with no street cred try to make "serious art"? I feel like Soup would fall in there, next to Recovering the Satellites and the time Matchbox 20 performed in black and white on Jay Leno.

I think I don’t like “no rain” anymore after listening to their other songs.

No, Shannon. Some rain. Some rain.

xp hahaha I don't remember there being anything good on the first record but I really love a bunch of the second one.

I won’t be fooled into listening to them twice!

it occurred to me tonight Blind Melon are basically the hippie Polvo. that is all.

― reallysmoothmusic (Jamie_ATP), Thursday, March 31, 2011 2:20 PM (nine years ago)

If any of their music sounds remotely like Polvo to you, please let me know the exact moment in which song and how many milliseconds it lasts.

"Tones Of Home" has a key change in the chorus that's a decent hook but the rest of it is like Spin Doctors covering Aerosmith with some dodgy scatting in the middle.

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 its era, completely devoid of '90s production tricks. While Blind Melon were 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 reviewers' 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. (four stars)

I agree that they're underrated. I don't know about SO underrated, though. 'The Duke' is fukkin jam.

Isn't 5ive Style the hippie Polvo?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=S3HE2UZYPUc&list=OLAK5uy_llLHrRIuhJw2zb0xaDHKw1oobAnyEy2Qg&index=1

They're at least the mathrocky Rusted Root

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aeqquM9qBCs&list=OLAK5uy_kUrJcTLAp2Osz7PK1ZbJOa0f43zt7qFlc&index=1

That 1st 5ive STyle song is way too close to LZ's For Your Life for my liking.

Ok I’m seating in a restaurant and “no rain” is playing and I still think it’s a good song. Just don’t make me listen to anything else they recorded ever again.

"Galaxie" has always been my favorite song of theirs but I think the second half of "2x4" might be their best "moment":

https://youtu.be/mpm9XQd1p2Y

was up until 3am last night due to my next door neighbor blasting music that upon shazamming, turned out to be blind melon. i realized i think its the first time i've ever heard blind melon as the result of a private individual actively choosing to listen to them, as opposed to hearing them on mtv, piped into public places, etc.

also which one of you fuckers was it, fess up

Call the authorities if you must, but eleven is the only acceptable volume level for the Melon, mah dude.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/ScientificCorruptGnatcatcher-size_restricted.gif

Inspired by this thread I decided to listen to them as I only knew “no rain” and it’s alright so the rest of their songs could be good and what the hell? These are terrible songs.

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Monday, August 3, 2020 1:23 AM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

betcha didn't see THAT plot twist coming!

― XVI Pedicabo eam (Neanderthal), Monday, August 3, 2020 1:49 AM (one week ago) bookmarkflaglink

lol

after writing all this, i see some of this was covered already above, but anyway…

watched the All I Can Say movie on a long flight and I’d recommend it. I don’t know anything about this band other than No Rain. Shannon Hood filmed himself for the last seven or eight years of his life and Danny Clinch went through it all (?) to put together the film. Must’ve been a huge undertaking.

There’s no narration and it starts while he was in Indiana, a couple years before the band came together. Amazed they got signed so quickly, with only like five song written when Capitol picked them up. Lots of backstage shots, an impressive Woodstock vocal performance, etc. etc. heavy nineties vibes i don’t wish to relive…

There’s some really touching scenes with his niece and some rather sad scenes where he’s obv in very bad place. Funny scenes with random people. He had the camera in the corner of the room when his daughter was born. Lots of interesting quick cuts of whatever he saw…

Agree he may have been able to get himself out of his tailspin given some more time, but can’t quite say why.

I might check it out. Any footage from Riki Rachtman's Cathouse at all? Apparently, Hoon worked there for a bit before the band took off.

not that i saw, but could’ve missed it b/c of quick cuts and minimal context.

def recommend it remotely interested. i’d like to hear another opinion on it.

Soup is sounding pretty great today

I haven't heard that in years, but may need to give it a go. I didn't really like the first one, hated "No Rain", but thought this was really good and was kind of baffled that it was lambasted like it was.

(lol seeing upthread that it has now been 12 years since my last post about this album stating that I hadn't heard it in about 12 years at that point)

it's up and down but the good songs are pretty cool, weird hippie/alt rock fusion thing going on

it’s a very good album, love galaxie, driver’s seat, st andrews fall… alternative but hippies

I met up with some old friends recently and ended up talking about Blind Melon a fair bit. One dude in particular is a huge fan, the kind who looks in the middle distance and fills up when you discuss certain tracks (Porcupine, in this instance). I keep thinking I'll watch the documentary (it's on YouTube) but the time never seems quite right for so much sadness.