这支成立于1983年的另类摇滚乐队，成立时乐队奠定的风格是暴躁的朋克和硬摇滚风格，在当时美国众多的此类型地下乐队中并没有脱颖而出，乐队的几张专辑也并没有引起怎样的轰动，由于长期排练和演出中巨大声响的侵害，主音吉他兼主唱David Pirner〔大卫.皮尔纳〕的耳朵失聪了，然而即使如此，他也并没有放弃对音乐的执著追求，而且因祸得福，他们开始排练一些原声的作品，却取得了无以伦比的成功。1992年，他们推出的一张专辑《Grave Dancers Union》〔凄惨舞者联盟〕，一张深沉而不失柔情的原声专辑刚一登榜就引起了从乐评者到普通乐迷的巨大惊喜，专辑中的很多作品都是经典之作，而《runaway train》〔迷失列车〕更成为世界级的摇滚经典。在乐队随后的专辑中仍坚持了此张专辑奠定的音乐风格，乐队的歌迷和专辑销量与日俱增，外型英俊的乐队的灵魂人物皮尔纳甚至成为了美国九十年代的另类偶像。2000年，乐队推出了精选集《Black Gold: The Best Of Soul Asylum》，迎来了事业的又一高峰。在众多专辑中，我最钟爱的当属《Let Your Dim Light Shine》，或许是先入为主的缘故，因为这就是我首度接触即产生难以置信共鸣的那张专辑。
推荐的这首《runaway train》堪称Soul Asylum的扛鼎之作，这是首描写失踪儿童问题的作品，在清脆干净的吉他、不动声色的鼓点伴奏下，主唱皮尔纳沧桑沙哑的嗓音从喉底或者说从心底吟出最深沉的悲愤与控诉，悲伤和愤怒的极至通常不是血泪泣诉或狂吼一气，而是近乎平和的，淡淡的陈述，而这却更容易渗入听者的心底。心随着略含悲意的音乐起伏，似乎看到了失去亲生儿女的母亲那无助、失神的目光。
call you up in the middle of the night
like a firefly without a light
you were there like a blowtorch burning
i was a key that could use a little turning
so tired that i couldn't even sleep
so many secrets i couldn't keep
i promised myself i wouldn't weep
one more promise i couldn't keep
it seems no one can help me now,
i'm in too deep; there's no way out
this time i have really led myself astray
runaway train, never going back
wrong way on a one-way track
seems like i should be getting somewhere
somehow i'm neither here nor there
can you help me remember how to smile?
make it somehow all seem worthwhile
how on earth did i get so jaded?
life's mystery seems so faded
i can go where no one else can go
i know what no one else knows
here i am just a-drownin' in the rain
with a ticket for a runaway train
and everything seems cut and dried,
day and night, earth and sky,
somehow i just don't believe it
runaway train, never going back
wrong way on a one-way track
seems like i should be getting somewhere
somehow i'm neither here nor there
bought a ticket for a runaway train
like a madman laughing at the rain
a little out of touch, a little insane
it's just easier than dealing with the pain
runaway train, never going back
wrong way on a one-way track
seems like i should be getting somewhere
somehow i'm neither here nor there
runaway train, never coming back
runaway train, tearing up the track
runaway train, burning in my veins
i run away but it always seems the same
