Due to personal circumstances, producer Tchad Blake turned down plans to produce Irresistible Bliss. Blake had been an important part of Soul Coughing’s debut album, 1994’s Ruby Vroom, and his unavailability led Soul Coughing’s leader M. Doughty to rethink his strategy and try for a more streamlined approach with pop producer David Kahne (The Bangles, Fishbone). Several tunes—“Super Bon Bon,” “Soft Serve," and “Soundtrack to Mary”—caught on at the college-radio level and somewhat beyond. More importantly, the album proved that the band wasn't a one-trick pony or too hip for the room. It was always apparent that Doughty could write lyrics and that his bandmates could play rings around the competition, but Irresistible Bliss showed that the band had heart to go with its versatility. Doughty’s vocals throughout the album—especially on the reflective “Lazybones” and the nasty stalking noir-funk-blues “Paint”—explain much of the band’s appeal.