Soul Asylum, the mythic garage rockers who helped shape the newly emerging contours of college radio alt-rock in the 80s before becoming Grammy-winning multi-platinum superstars in the 90s, celebrated their third decade with the long-awaited release of 2006's The Silver Lining. Many of the tracks on The Silver Lining showcase the final recordings of original bassist Karl Mueller, who died at home of throat cancer on June 17, 2005. Mueller had been playing music with Dave Pirner and Dan Murphy since they'd formed the garage power trio Loud Fast Rules in 1981.

Rolling Stone Magazine praised The Silver Lining for its "... big, ragged pop-rock" while Billboard Magazine said, "... mixing pop melody and garage grit, 'The Silver Lining' is an old school alternative rock album full of oversized riffs and open-hearted hooks." Harp Magazine went on to say "Pirner and Co. can still pound out super catchy tunes" while Time Out NY raved "Stronger than anything the band's done since 1992's breakthrough 'Grave Dancer's Union', 'The Silver Lining' is loaded with hugely catchy songs, the kind that mainstream-rock radio exists for."