Hotwired (The Soup Dragons album)

Hotwired is the third studio album by the Scottish band the Soup Dragons.[2][3] It was released on April 21, 1992.

For the web magazine, see HotWired.

Hotwired
Studio album by
The Soup Dragons
Released21 April 1992
Recorded1991
StudioLivingston Studios, London,
Advision, Brighton
GenreAlternative rock, alternative dance
Length49:22
LabelBig Life/Mercury[1]
ProducerMarius De Vries, Sean Dickson, Steve Sidelnyk
The Soup Dragons chronology
Lovegod
(1990)		 Hotwired
(1992)		 Hydrophonic
(1994)

The album peaked at No. 97 on the Billboard 200.[4] "Pleasure" and "Divine Thing" were alternative dance singles that became moderate hits in the U.S. Hotwired sold more than 300,000 copies in its first six months of release.[5]

The band supported the album by touring North America with Catherine Wheel; they later toured with Tom Tom Club and James.[6][7][8] "Divine Thing" was used in the film Hellraiser III.[9]

Production

The album was produced by Marius De Vries, Sean Dickson, and Steve Sidelnyk.[10] It was recorded in 1991 and 1992 at Livingston Studios and Advision Brighton. The Soup Dragons were more prepared for the sessions, having written 15+ songs before entering the studio.[11] They band considered Hotwired to be an optimistic album; they also conceded that they still had not quite captured the power of their live sound on record.[12][13]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[14]
Calgary HeraldD[15]
Chicago Tribune[16]
Los Angeles Times[17]

The Calgary Herald deemed the album "bubblegum music sonically gussied up for the '90s".[15] The Los Angeles Times concluded that "the shuffling, dance-rock fusion on Hotwired works only occasionally, most imaginatively on 'Divine Thing'".[17] The Washington Post wrote: "Combining contemporary dance beats and sound effects with gospel-style backing vocals and beat-group touches ... songs like 'Pleasure' mix and match '60s and '90s British youth culture".[18]

The St. Petersburg Times stated that "the band limits guitar technique to power chords, wah-wah pedals and scuffled riffs, fattened up by studio wizardry and layered samples".[19] The Chicago Tribune opined that the band "does little to pull distance from the retro sound pervasive among groups from across the big pond".[16]

AllMusic described Hotwired as the album where the Soup Dragons reached "the happy medium between the slick breakbeats and guitar-based rock & roll," adding that the songs are "among the strongest of the band's career".[14]

Track listing

All songs written by Sean Dickson.

  1. "Pleasure" – 3:54
  2. "Divine Thing" – 3:51
  3. "Running Wild" – 4:01
  4. "Getting Down" – 4:11
  5. "Forever Yesterday" – 4:49
  6. "No More Understanding" – 4:58
  7. "Dream-On (Solid Gone)" – 4:00
  8. "Everlasting" – 3:43
  9. "Absolute Heaven" – 3:20
  10. "Everything" – 3:56
  11. "Sweet Layabout" – 3:43
  12. "Mindless" – 4:56

Personnel
The Soup Dragons

References
  1. Wright, Rickey (12 June 1992). "Rock/pop". Preview. The Virginian-Pilot. p. 10.
  2. Bennun, David (2 May 1992). "Hotwired by The Soup Dragons". Melody Maker. 68 (18): 34.
  3. The Rough Guide to Rock (2nd ed.). Rough Guides Ltd. 1999. p. 825.
  4. "The Soup Dragons". Billboard. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  5. Ruberto, Toni (23 October 1992). "With a funky, infectious rock groove that begs you to dance, Scotland's Soup Dragons are making an impact in America". USA Today.
  6. Heim, Chris (19 June 1992). "Soup Dragons and Catherine Wheel". Friday. Chicago Tribune. p. M.
  7. Stahl, Sandy (25 October 1992). "L'IL PALOOZA". The Morning Call. p. F1.
  8. Fried, Fran (23 October 1992). "Fruitbats to Soup Dragons". Weekend Guide. New Haven Register. p. 22.
  9. Neufeld, Matt (1 October 1992). "Tom Tom's beat is solid as ever". The Washington Times. p. M2.
  10. "Hotwired by The Soup Dragons". Billboard. 104 (17): 46. 25 April 1992.
  11. Ferman, Dave (26 June 1992). "Soup Dragons no flash in the pan". Star Time. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. p. 11.
  12. Craft, Dan (9 October 1992). "Alternative Rock". The Pantagraph. p. C1.
  13. Kim, Jae-Ha (23 June 1992). "Soup Dragons Roar Out of Anonymity, Into Music Spotlight". Features. Chicago Sun-Times. p. 29.
  14. Hotwired at AllMusic
  15. Tremblay, Mark (26 April 1992). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald. p. C2.
  16. Webber, Brad (25 June 1992). "Recordings". Tempo. Chicago Tribune. p. 7.
  17. Rosenbluth, Jean (2 May 1992). "Pop Beat". Los Angeles Times. p. F9.
  18. Jenkins, Mark (10 July 1992). "Latest Dance-Pop: Battle of Britains". The Washington Post. p. N15.
  19. Hall, Dave (15 May 1992). "Soup Dragons keep up their good-time work". Weekend. St. Petersburg Times. p. 20.
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