All I can say is that in the mid-1980's there was no better live act around (except maybe the Replacements on a hot night). When they were on, which was more often than not, they were ferocious. Dave was the most dynamic and entertaining front man of that era, except maybe Henry Rollins. Of course, Henry didn't play the guitar. Listening to these songs, after 20 years, at first I was not sure they had aged all that well (Juke Box Hero might have been fun live...). But, geezer that I now am, once I got warmed up, I was right back in the groove: loving Dave's delivery and vocal talents, the pummeling dual guitar attack (howitzers is how I think I used to describe them) and the harmonizing (Dan and Dave, right on).
I still love Soul Asylum, after all these years, and although some of their later stuff was whatever it was (not all bad, come on), it's these early tracks that make me feel good, and old. And heck, young.