Soul Asylum - “Runaway Train”

SXSW 2020 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 10

Pairs Well With…Gin Blossoms, Blind Melon, The Replacements

While their 1992 breakthrough album Grave Dancers Union was a sonic microcosm for 90’s alternative, Soul Asylum’s breakout hit “Runaway Train” wasn’t your typical 90’s anthem. For instance, the platinum single’s raw music video features a montage of missing children, still making you gasp for air 27 years after its initial release. The 12-string guitar power ballad is a far cry from the band’s late 80’s grunge scene. In recent years, the group has traded in their drop-d grunge tunings for a softer approach with blues riffs and drum brushes. Reinventing yourself is never easy, but this often labeled one-hit-wonder band soldiers on to evolve and create meaningful music from the heart. (Drew Doggett)