The Soup Dragons - Hotwired (1992)

Hotwired is the third studio album from The Soup Dragons. Recorded in 1991 and 1992 at Livingston Studios and Advision Brighton, it was released April 21, 1992.

AllMusic described Hotwired as the album where the Soup Dragons reached "the happy medium between the slick breakbeats and guitar-based rock & roll", adding that the songs are "among the strongest of the band's career". Both Pleasure and Divine Thing were alternative dance singles that became moderate hits in the U.S.. Bold production effects include chugging guitars on Getting Down, a romping harmonica jam on Running Wild and gospel choir-like background vocals sprinkled throughout the album.

Hotwired
1992
THE SOUP DRAGONS
Sean Dickson (v/g), Jim McCullough (v/g), Sushil K. Dade (b), Paul Quinn (d)

Track listing

1. "Pleasure" – 3:54
2. "Divine Thing" – 3:51
3. "Running Wild" – 4:01
4. "Getting Down" – 4:11
5. "Forever Yesterday" – 4:49
6. "No More Understanding" – 4:58
7. "Dream-On (Solid Gone)" – 4:00
8. "Everlasting" – 3:43
9. "Absolute Heaven" – 3:20
10. "Everything" – 3:56
11. "Sweet Layabout" – 3:43
12. "Mindless" – 4:56

LINE UP

Sean Dickson (vocals, guitar)
Jim McCullough (backing vocals, guitar)
Sushil K. Dade (bass)
Paul Quinn (drums, percussion)

The Soup Dragons - This Is Our Art (1988)

The Soup Dragons were a Scottish alternative rock band of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Named after a character in the 1970s children's television show Clangers, the group is best known for its cover of the Rolling Stones' song "I'm Free."

Many bands would kill for a song as immediately lovable as the Soup Dragons' "Soft As Your Face" from This Is Our Art; however, while the track reveals the group's ability to craft clever, hummable pop, the rest of the LP unveils the band's lack of punch. "Soft As Your Face," with its jaunty acoustic guitars and warm harmonies, outshines almost everything else on the album. On "Kingdom Chairs," vocalist Sean Dickson tries to imitate the snarl of a '60s garage rocker; unfortunately, he isn't convincing, and the group sounds anemic, unable to unleash the raw power necessary to make the song crackle. The Soup Dragons aim for the punk-pop of the Buzzcocks on "Great Empty Space," but the lyrics fail to make an impact. The band cranks up the amps even louder on "Passion Protein," veering closely to heavy metal, and they seem as if they're trying too hard to show that they're not a wimpy new wave act. The Soup Dragons are far more effective when they're gorging themselves on bubblegum like the sweet jangle pop of "Soft As Your Face" and "Turning Stone." The Soup Dragons bite off more than they can chew on This Is Our Art; nevertheless, "Soft As Your Face" and "Turning Stone" melt in the mouth like the most delicious candy.

This Is Our Art
1988
THE SOUP DRAGONS
Sean Dickson (v/g), Jim McCulloch (g), Ian Whitehall, Sushil K. Dade (b), Ross Sinclair (d)

Track Listing

1. "Kngdom Chairs" - 5:20
2. "Great Empty Space" - 3:00
3. "The Majestic Head?" - 3:34
4. "Turning Stone" - 2:47
5. "Vacate My Space" - 3:39
6. "On Overhead Walkways" - 2:25
7. "Passion Protein" - 5:22
8. "King of the Castle" - 2:46
9. "Soft As Your Face" - 3:39
10. "Family Ways" - 4:38
11. " Another Dreamticket" - 2:57

History

The Soup Dragons formed in Bellshill, a town near Glasgow, in 1985.The line up was Sean Dickson (vocals, lead guitar), Jim McCulloch (guitar, second voice) who replaced Ian Whitehall and Sushil K. Dade (bass). The original drummer, Ross A. Sinclair, left the group after the first proper album, This Is Our Art, to pursue a career in art, and was replaced by Paul Quinn. Most of their songs were written by Dickson, while some were co-written with McCulloch