AMG Review of While You Were Out

John Dougan
All Music Guide

Producer and ex-Suicide Commando Chris Osgood was an excellent choice to produce this first attempt at a breakthrough record. And, despite a few songs simply sounding like retreads, this is a pretty snappy collection, with Dave Pirner's songwriting showing a depth and nuance that had previously been lost amid the roaring. The album closer, "Passing Sad Daydream," is even a country-tinged wallow that, despite being too long, was an indication that this band was developing a style that would allow them to make the transition out of speed rock's obsession with, well, speed.