Mike Doughty

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Mike Doughty

I was surprised and saddened when somehow the news of Soul Coughing breaking up reached me all the way in the Netherlands in 2000. Surprised because I didn't think anyone in Holland had even heard of Soul Coughing, and saddened because they were one of the most interesting acts of the second half of the 90s.

In retrospect, if a breakup had to happen, 2000 was the perfect time. Napster was reigning supreme and "Skittish," Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty's solo, mostly-acoustic, unreleased album found its why into cyberspace.

Since 2000, Doughty has been touring the country alone - just him and a guitar. Despite that "Skittish" has only been sold at shows in plain white paper jackets, everyone in the audience already knows all the words. Despite the simplicity of his solo material, Doughty's performances are captivating.

Though recorded in 1996, "Skittish" just recently received a proper release. It is now packaged along with "Rockity Roll," an EP Doughty released in 2003 and also contains some live material and "Skittish" b-sides.

After about 300 listens, I still enjoy "Skittish" as much as I did when I first heard it in 2001. "Rockity Roll" follows the same pattern - guitar and vocals - with the addition of some drum machine and a little bit of electric piano. Oh, so good.

Doughty is promising fans the release of "a fully-realized solo record," May 3.

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