Mike Doughty is back with his first solo album under his own name in more than a decade. Dr Malfunction in the Hue Department is out now, offering a fresh, stripped-down collection that finds the veteran singer-songwriter revisiting familiar material while taking a few unexpected musical detours.
Created alongside longtime collaborator Andrew “Scrap” Livingston, who contributes backward guitar, the 12-track album reimagines previously released songs and introduces some surprising covers. Among the highlights are interpretations of Charli XCX’s “Apple,” Ry Cooder’s “Drive Like I Never Been Hurt,” and Hank Williams Jr.’s outlaw favorite “O.D’d in Denver.”
Recorded at Memphis Magnetic studio in Memphis, Tennessee, the album strips Doughty’s songwriting back to its essentials while exploring new sounds and arrangements. The result is an intimate, unpredictable collection that moves comfortably between musical styles and eras.
Doughty is currently taking the new material on the road, with a series of European solo performances alongside Livingston scheduled through late November, including stops in Italy and Belgium. (Tour Dates)
For longtime fans, the release is another chapter in an impressive career spanning his work with Soul Coughing, Ghost of Vroom, and an extensive solo catalog. Soul Coughing also made a welcome return to the stage in 2024 after 25 years away, followed by another North American tour in 2025.
With Dr Malfunction in the Hue Department, Doughty proves there’s still plenty of room to revisit the past while finding something new in the process.