Search - Soul Asylum :: Hang Time

Mike M. from SEATTLE, WA
Reviewed on 8/13/2007...

This is the closest Soul Asylum ever came to a true hard rock album. Before the commercial dross of "Runaway Train" this was their major label debut. There is an obvious attempt at mainstream appeal, a little less "punk" attitude and a bit more polish.

There is some great guitar work on this album and somewhat complex song structures (for a booze-core band from MN). This was released in 1988.

One of their best

Jeans Yoder | Yoder, KS | 09/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Me, being a avid fan of soul asylum after yes, sadly enough from their 2 breakout albums, GDU, and LYDLS. I probably first really picked up on them '96 or '97. Little did i know that they would be one of my favorite bands.Hang Time supports this notion of a favorite band simply b/c this is an excellent album. Let's start w/ the basics:Sometime to Return: this was recorded on the best hits album, which is where I first heard the song. It ranks up w/ one of their best efforts as any single. I dunno if it even made it big as a single nonetheless, it's a classic for any SA fan.Cartoon: also on the best hits album, sort of brings me back to my childhood. it's the kind of song that the more you listen to, the better it gets, so fans...keep on listening to cartoon!Endless Farewell: I think this is the best song on the album. It's the longest song at 4min and 21 secs, but it's sort of like a testimony of breakup song. it's a song you listen to when life is a little down. a rainy day song. Marionette: This is quite a playful song. SA isn't known to really to create much seriousness into the lyrics of a song. but the deeper meaning is quite something else. take a listen to this song a few more times to get the full meaning, i think you'll appreciate the band a little more.Well, the rest of the songs, although short and the typical early grunge sound of SA, generally tie the previous songs together to make the album better. twiddly dee is a fast little ditty of maybe a country tone to it. little too clean can almost be on the made to be broken album, if it wasn't for the little melodic guitar solo in between lyrics which i think is the turning point from fast hard grunge punk to substance songs.Give it a try. Hang Time is definately worth your time if you are even remotely interested in soul asylum, or even if you just want to try some of roots of grunge, check them out!"

An unknown classic

Gator Carter | Newport OR | 03/03/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this the year it came out in '88 after hearing it played in a music store. It's probably the best thing they ever did. Been waiting for them to match it but SA went gradually down hill after this. They caught on to mainstream audiences with Grave Dancer's Union and the bland radio friendly MTV sellout "Runaway Train" and it did em in. But Hang Time is great, highly recommend this lost classic."