Soul Asylum have released “Misery” as the first taste of ‘MPLS Unplugged,’ a live album recorded at the State Theatre in Minneapolis on April 20, 2023, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the band’s landmark MTV Unplugged performance. Frontman Dave Pirner is joined by guitarist Ryan Smith, bassist Jeremy Tapparo, drummer Michael Bland, and Ivan Neville on keys, reconstructing the spirit of the original 1993 lineup alongside STRINGenius string quartet and the Robert Robinson gospel singers. Listen here.
This new version of “Misery” opens the song up, looser and more reflective than the original, and it sounds exactly right. Originally from ‘Let Your Dim Light Shine,’ the track hit No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100, topped the Mainstream Rock chart, and reached No. 3 on the Canadian singles chart. ‘MPLS Unplugged’ also features “Farmer John” and “What Will Become of Me,” two long-running live staples never previously recorded or released until now.
Neville’s return is significant. His connection to the band stretches back to the original 1993 session, and Pirner has been clear about what that reunion means: “He was the obvious choice, pretty magical, it just felt right.” The 1993 MTV Unplugged appearance, which featured stripped-down versions of “Runaway Train,” “Black Gold,” and “Somebody to Shove,” remains one of the defining moments in the band’s history.
Pirner, Smith, and Tapparo are also on the road for a run of intimate acoustic shows, blending fan favorites with stories from across the band’s four-decade catalog.