When Shannon Hoon died in 1995, Blind Melon, after only two albums, immediately got its second consideration from critics—and the accolades heaped on the group far exceeded any praise it had received during the previous three years of its existence. More than a decade later, listening to Blind Melon’s self-titled 1992 debut and its 1995 follow-up, Soup, reveals a grippingly raw band undergoing a rapid evolution. Moving from breezily whimsical pop (reaching its pinnacle with über-hit “No Rain”) to poignantly brooding rock anthems, Blind Melon was going somewhere important when Hoon overdosed. Unfortunately, that destination probably won’t be reached by the band’s new lineup, despite singer Travis Warren’s best efforts to sound like Hoon on the recent For My Friends.