Privacy of the Mind

The 90s was an interesting period musically. A lot of experimentation was going on. One of the bands that no one seems to remember was generating something of a cult following. I stumbled over them on the X-Files collection “Songs in the Key of X.” The band was Soul Coughing. They mixed influences from many genres of music and combined it with a lead singer who had a distinctive vocal style to produce what they called “Deep Slacker Jazz.” Then the year 2000 dawned and Soul Coughing melted down. The lead singer, Mike Doughty, found himself in the grips of heroin addiction. I lost track of them at that point and moved on to other bands and other music. Fortunately, that’s not the end of the story…

After struggling for a few years, Doughty overcame his addiction and set out on a solo career. Fast forward to present times and Mike has just released his most recent studio album, Golden Delicious, and I have gratefully become reacquainted with his music. I think the new album continues the tradition set by Soul Coughing but now the sound is uniquely Mike’s. Featuring rich, syncopated beats and quirky, upbeat lyrics it’s hard to listen along without bobbing your head and tapping your feet. Call it what you like, it’s anything but cookie-cutter corporate music. So far, I’d rank it one of the best new albums I’ve picked up this year. Sadly, I missed an opportunity to see Doughty live in Seattle late last year out of ignorance. His tour schedule comes back to Portland in April so I may have to do a road trip down to catch his show.

Besides his music, Mike has also released a book of poetry and manages to find time to keep up with a blog on his website. Be sure to check him out and buy the album if you like what you hear!

Songs in the Key of X
Unmarked Helicopters by Soul Coughing

Golden Delicious
I Wrote A Song About Your Car by Mike Doughty

Golden Delicious
More Bacon Than The Pan Can Handle by Mike Doughty