"This record is huge. It's my favorite," says M. Doughty. But then, suddenly realizing that's what everybody says when they have an album in the pipeline, "Soul Coughing's" front man adds, "I'm not lying. On 'El Oso,' we have really grown as a band." All you need to do is give this one a listen and you'll know that Doughty is exactly right. "El Oso" houses everything that is great about "Soul Coughing," while still taking the genre-bending quartet further down the path of genius on this, their third record.

Building a fan base through their commanding live shows on the road, "Soul Coughing" took their experimental jazz/rock sound to surprisingly lofty heights in 1994, when their first album, "Ruby Vroom," sold in excess of 150,000 copies, coming at a time when the flavor of the month was acts like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Sound Garden. Artsy rock, it would seem, did not have a place among the alternative powerhouses that rocked the Lollapalooza tours. "Soul Coughing" would laugh and prove that theory wrong with the high-spirited aggression of the radio-friendly track "Super Bon Bon," and their sophomore effort, "Irresistible Bliss," selling over 250,000 copies.

Spawned in the bowels of New York's underground in 1992, "Soul Coughing," ironically, never entertained the thought that someday they might have commercial potential. Indeed, Doughty confesses that, "When the band was formed, I had given up on making it in the music industry. I didn't care anymore and I just wanted to book some Monday night shows and have some fun."

"El Oso" certainly brings "Soul Coughing" closer to realizing their dream of being a great dance band, while maintaining the jazz/funk/rock sound that has made this band great. M. Doughty's vocals continue to dominate the sound, which draws most "SC" fans in the first place. The rich, thick blend of his vocal stylings, coupled with the ultra intelligent, and often cryptic, word play lyrics, are just as strong, if not stronger, on this record.

Mark De Gli Antoni's keyboard work and brilliant samples not only continue to lend character and depth to the band, but have taken a more dominant role in tracks like "Rolling" and "St. Louise Is Listening."

Sebastian Steinberg maintains his role as band back bone, bellowing the deepest of tones from his stand up bass. Tracks like "Maybe I'll Come Down" would be lost without this amazing bass work. Yuval Gabay continues to keep time, or intentional off time in true jazz style, giving each track a flighty, almost light feel.

"Circles," the first single off "El Oso," exhibits a more pop style, making this track the easiest to digest, but certainly not the best. Dig into this record and you'll find a spectrum of fantastic sonic experiences. "Rolling" adds an electronic element to the typical "SC" sound, landing somewhere near the Batman and Robin Soundtrack tune, "The Bug." "Misinformed" kicks off with jungle style steel drums, bringing the sound to a dynamic dance style. "Houston" takes a left turn in the "SC" sound, relying almost completely on samples, keys, and electronic drums. Then, as bass and vocals, the tune falls back into the "SC" style with a burning uniqueness.

"I Still Have Not Found The Science" is perhaps my favorite track on the record, making reference to their traditional inclusion of numerology on each record: "But the numbers keep on circling me/ I don't mind where they're following me like a dinosaur/ I don't fear, I am descending into the molten core/ So far I have not found the science."

If you are a "Soul Coughing" fan, you are bound to just love the progression and experimentation that takes this record to a new plane of "SC" greatness. If you're new to "The Cough," then this a great place to start and then work backwards through the prior releases. Either way, "El Oso" is a fantastically brilliant record, and most certainly has its place in any music collection. Go add it to yours today. You won't be sorry.