Soul Asylum - MPLS Unplugged

Soul Asylum — MPLS Unplugged 2LP

MPLS Unplugged celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band's legendary MTV Unplugged performance in 1993, recorded live nearly 30 years later to the day at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on April 20, 2023. For the first time in decades, the band is captured stripped back and unplugged-echoing the spirit of their original MTV Unplugged session in 1993 — while remaining deeply layered, expansive in feel, and emotionally resonant.

Frontman Dave Pirner, widely regarded as one of the great songwriters of his generation, is joined by guitarist Ryan Smith, bassist Jeremy Tapparo and drummer Michael Bland. Also returning is Ivan Neville on keys, alongside STRINGenius string quartet and the Robert Robinson gospel singers, honoring the lineup of the original 1993 session while modernizing the acoustic arrangements. Neville's connection to the band dates back to that original Unplugged session, where, as Pirner recalls, "he was the obvious choice... pretty magical-it just felt right."

The set also digs deep into the band's catalog and celebrates Soul Asylum's electric and enduring live show, featuring two longtime live staples, "Farmer John" and "What Will Become of Me" — both of which, until now, were never recorded or released. Their inclusion here gives fans a rare, fully realized take on songs that have only lived onstage, and an authentic glimpse into the singular energy of a Soul Asylum concert.

Originally released on Let Your Dim Light Shine (1995), "Misery" became one of the band's signature tracks, reaching No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, topping the Mainstream Rock chart, and hitting No. 3 on the Canadian singles chart. In this new version, the song opens up-less tightly wound, more reflective-allowing its melody and mood to stretch into something warmer and more nuanced.

The MPLS Unplugged recordings naturally echo the band's landmark 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance, where they delivered stripped-down versions of "Runaway Train," "Black Gold," and "Somebody to Shove." That performance remains a defining moment in the band's history and was revisited in 2023 with the release of The Complete Unplugged NYC '93.

More than four decades in, Soul Asylum continues to evolve while staying rooted in the emotional directness that first defined them, touring globally, playing over 100 shows a year and continuing to reach both longtime fans and new listeners.