Mike Doughty - Haughty Melodic

With Haughty Melodic, former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty aptly seizes the opportunity to shine brightly on his first full-fledged, full band solo effort since his band’s demise in 1998. Aided by the production skills of Semisonic vocalist Dan Wilson, Doughty turns in one of the most clever releases of 2005 both in name (Haughty Melodic is an anagram of Michael Doughty) and in musical content. Blending folky guitars and funky percussion, Doughty provides an important alternative for those who are musically attracted to the white boy soul of artists like Jack Johnson and Jason Mraz but find themselves turned off by the significant levels of cheese those artists produce. On playful tunes like “Busting Up a Starbucks” and “Sunken Eyed Girl,” Doughty not only acknowledges the line between being ironic and being ridiculous but treads the line masterfully. While musically there is nothing revolutionary happening here, Doughty creates a personable and vibrant feeling listeners will find appealing. His energy and creativity radiate on tracks like the delightful “I Hear the Bells” (the only song I know of that discusses both Christmas and sex) and “Madeline and Nine,” in which Doughty addresses a potential lover: “All my life I’ve been slow and senseless/Not struck dumb, I’m just dumb that’s all/But I can give you the constellations, lay down here and we’ll count them all.” Though most of Doughty’s tunes retain a certain effervescence, he also proves himself capable of tackling topics like commercialism and alienation with just as much credibility as when he’s discussing less weighty matters. While some tracks eclipse others, this is one of those rare records that doesn’t suffer from any momentary lapses or letdowns. From start to finish, Haughty Melodic delivers a gratifying listening experience. This album should serve to cement Doughty’s reputation among longtime fans and further said reputation among those without previous exposure to his skills as a songwriter. [www.mikedoughty.com]