Even though this record would prove to be Shannon Hoon's swan song, and amidst the substance abuse problems that were peripherally blurring some of his talents, Blind Melon's sophomore effort greatly surpasses their debut, and in my opinion, they have more of a stamped identity on this release moreso and it makes a frustrating listen during the interim of "what could have been" throughout its duration. The album was recorded in New Orleans during the winter months of Nov.-Jan. 1994-95 and boasts 14 tracks of material that offer modern day, 90's alternative rock tendencies, channeling influences from bands like Jane's Addiction. Producer Andy Wallace, grabs a distinct vibe and captures some great moments of interplay in the dual guitar duties of Christopher Thorn and Rogers Stevens, the solidness and dexterity of drummer Glen Graham and bassist Brad Smith, led along by the extraordinary tenor of vocalist/writer Shannon Hoon; with the strong opening of "Galaxie", it seems that Blind Melon have come home to roost as being much more than a one-trick pony from their self-titled debut. I bought this years ago when it was new, and I wanna say a month before Hoon succumbed to his addictions that resulted in his untimely death in October of 1995, I was highly impressed and remember wanting to go see them on tour in support of this effort. Alas, it wasn't to be, but to this day, I still love this record despite some songs being a bit aloof and raw in the forms of "Vernie", "St. Andrews Fall" and the album's closer, "Lemonade".  But, on the other hand, these numbers are excellent examples of the album's perfect imperfections. "Skinned" for example, is a hilarious acoustic ditty, in which the subject matter focuses on serial killer Ed Gein, whom had a psychotic liking for skinning his victim's bodies, "post mortem", utilizing their skins as trophies! Horrible, but yet playfully clever on the part of Hoon's sardonic humor.

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There is a weight of heaviness to numbers like "Toes Across the Floor", "Walk", "Wilt" and "Mouthful of Cavities", that draw a picture of realism into Hoon's psyche and seem to be a written code analysis of his troubled drug addiction that ultimately, did him in. "2x4" features an anxious blast of energy that enthralls the listener intently, while "Dumptruck" equally contains a pent up rage in its melody rhythm style that describes the fall of a friend whom had succumbed to their own weaknesses and Hoon declares that he "will not go down like they did", which is rather chilling in hindsight of what would happen to himself. There is a great landscape of aural sounds from guitarists' Stevens and Thorn on numbers like "The Duke", St. Andrew's Fall" and "Vernie", implementing useful guitar effects such as wah pedal, flange, chorus and delay, resulting in tasteful and convincing overtones that add texture to these interesting tracks. "Car Seat(God's Presents)" is an ode to Hoon's younger, deceased brother and "New Life" is an ode to his then, newborn daughter Nico Blue, offering a deep contrast to mortality and the mysteries of the circle of life. 

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Overall, Soup remains a gem of an album and is the swansong of an important artist whom just couldn't handle his demons like others before him, and yet, is a pivotal record for the band as it showed a growth and maturity which offered a fine example of the talents they possessed as a successful unit within the alternative rock era of the 1990's. 

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Rating Grade- A+