It's just OK...
Let me start by saying that I'm a big Soul Coughing fan. I just love the sound those guys put together, and the hep-cat poetry is awesome. Even though they have been defunct for years now, they remain one of my favorite bands.
So, I finally broke down and bought some of Doughty's solo stuff. After reading reviews on all his solo albums, it seemed to me that this one was the most well-received. So, I figured I'd give it a try. I have to say... I'm really not impressed with either of these discs.
The beauty of Soul Coughing is that they were different, interesting and original. Doughty's solo stuff is really just more of the same 'dude with a guitar' nonsense that we've all heard a million times before. And not only have I heard it all before, but I've certainly heard better.
There are a few tracks that are pretty good, but these just kinda remind me more of SC's more melodic stuff. And they could certainly use a good bass line and some sampling thrown in there.
Not to say that I'll be trashing these discs or selling them off or anything. I'll keep them around and perhaps pop one in every now and then if I'm in the mood. But I doubt they'll really get much play.
And I doubt I'll get any more Mike Doughty records.

wildly uneven brilliance
Mike Doughty's first two solo albums -- combined for this release -- show the maddening inconsistency of his first steps on his own as he tried to figure out what sort of artist he was going to be. It was all on display here.

1. Skittish is murkily recorded acoustic guitar and cheap Rhodes keyboards and solo lyrics. Many of the tracks sound exceedingly collegiate in their indulgence in juvenile heartbreak (as he did the record back in '96, and wasn't too much beyond college age, this makes sense) and the record often feels like a dumping ground for all the lyrics that were too cutesy for Soul Coughing. (No room for "You were the only answer" while Doughty was hollering "YELLOW NUMBER FIVE!" on Ruby Vroom, right?) On this disc, only No Peace Los Angeles realizes the potential of solo Doughty, thanks largely to a gorgeous string section.

2. Rockity Roll, the second disc, really shows what Doughty could have been. Using bogusly lo-grade drum machines and synthesizers to go with his typical gang-a-dank rhythm guitar licks, Doughty put together an inconsistent masterpiece of songs that were more inviting and accessible than Soul Coughing, but still edgy and full of his lyrical brilliance. The first four tracks are all dead locks, and little throwaway numbers at the end I Failed To Use It and Laundrytown are hidden gems. Yet also on this record are live takes of The Only Answer (your acoustic-guitar-playing college freshman roommate wrote songs like this) and Move On (on the short list of lamest political songs ever), which suggested an alarming and prophetic attachment to cutesy folk-pop. At this stage, he could have gone either way.

Of course, you probably know the rest. He eventually wound up signing with Dave Matthews' label and sounding increasingly like Dave Matthews. (See: Golden Delicious.) But for half a record here, he showed he could have become one of the most interesting solo artists of the decade.


Anyway, if you're the iTunes downloading type, the way to get the best of this record is to get the following songs, which by themselves would have been a 5-star record:
No Peace, Los Angeles
Ways + Means
27 Jennifers
Down on the River by the Sugar Plant
40 Grand in the Hole
Cash Cow
I Failed To Use It
Laundrytown

Or you could just get the record. Whichev.

Raw thoughts
I feel his love for music through this album however, since it is so emotional, it is seems very thrown together and that gets annoying about halfway through it... obviously uncomparable to soul coughing but i think had he started with this style music he could've still been successful.

I Guess Making Your Soul Cough Can Lead To Great Things!
From the first track on Skittish *The Only Answer* to the last track on Rockitty Roll *Get Along*, I was simply blown away by the simply musicianship and dedication to beat poet lyrical rhythm that Mike Doughty sets up in these albums. *techincally one combined double-album, I guess*

When I hear the words:
"I love my country so much, man - Like an exhasperating friend"

In the song "Move On (Bloom Like the Sunlight In My Song)" I feel Mike's struggles with the world around him.

These albums are a great intro into Mike's Solo career for anyone who liked Soul Coughing. It's not as jazzy, but the poetic nature of the lyricism is still everpresent.

Don't forget to pick up Haughty Melodic, Doughty's newest release. That album delves even deeper into a more rhythmic element and swings further from the eclectic sounds of Soul Coughing.

Sincerely,

Brother Rabbit

Mike Doughty's Solo career
This double album is one of my favorites and I am glad to see Mike Doughty moving on after Soul Coughing. Although Soul Coughing can never be beaten in my mind, Doughty is undoubtedly talented and his music is just amazing.