Haughty Melodic
by Mike Doughty
  • Record Label: ATO
  • Release Date: May 3, 2005
User Score
7.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8

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  1. MatthewR
    Oct 2, 2006
    9
    Mike Doughty's best solo album yet. I'm still mourning the loss of Soul Coughing, and this doesn't replace them, but it's damn good in its own right.
  2. chrish
    May 20, 2005
    10
    excellent. all the way around.
  3. ElliotS
    Jul 5, 2005
    6
    There are moments when Doughty pulls of this new, more conventional sound like a champ. "Busting up a Starbucks," for example, keeps most of the funkyness and attitude it once had, while adding some interesting influences that were missing in the stripped down version. At the same time though, it kinda feels like Haughty Melodic making fun of sell outs is supposed to be an ironic joke of There are moments when Doughty pulls of this new, more conventional sound like a champ. "Busting up a Starbucks," for example, keeps most of the funkyness and attitude it once had, while adding some interesting influences that were missing in the stripped down version. At the same time though, it kinda feels like Haughty Melodic making fun of sell outs is supposed to be an ironic joke of some sort. When it's more stripped down, such as "Your Misfortune" or "His Truth is Marching On" the honesty keeps this together. I like new stuff from Doughty, but lets hope his next release isn't fighting his creativity like this one.… Expand
  4. ScottY
    Jan 15, 2006
    6
    Very catchy tunes on here. Some friends said it sounds just like the stuff he did with Soul Coughing but I disagree. I didn't like the Soul Coughing stuff, I found this to be a different style of music and more catching. There's a good duet on this album with Dave Matthews called Tremendous Brunettes that is good.
  5. EricM
    May 18, 2005
    4
    There are so many moments when I could be drawn...in.... but am left out. There isn't any there there any more. The REV died and so did Doughty's edge and now his latest album has him singing in "circles" all over again. Dave Matthews and John Mayer tributes, God and everything else MD would've made fun of.....he has banded with all these unsignable names. ;P H.M. feels There are so many moments when I could be drawn...in.... but am left out. There isn't any there there any more. The REV died and so did Doughty's edge and now his latest album has him singing in "circles" all over again. Dave Matthews and John Mayer tributes, God and everything else MD would've made fun of.....he has banded with all these unsignable names. ;P H.M. feels like a C-section which no one wanted, but at least the head is round.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Generally favorable reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. AllMusic
    80
    The big differences are that guitars are much more prominent than on any Soul Coughing releases, the lyrics have a more personal perspective, and the additional sounds of the album come from warmer sources like piano, Fender Rhodes and horns rather than a sampler.
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  2. Lost At Sea
    65
    Where Soul Coughing was defying specific genres and pushing norms, Skittish was scaled back, raw; Haughty Melodic is plugged in, not quite as downtrodden and surprisingly accessible.
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  3. Pitchfork
    55
    Doughty is better off when laid bare or with a group of musicians that push him in new directions, rather than ones who simply back him.
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