Reviews (page 13 of 15)
Pretty ok, but a bit boring for me
Another journey of "I know this band's name, but why? Surely not for being able to mimic what I remember Pearl Jam sounding like? Which of their songs was a hit?? Oh, this one! Yeah it's the best track on the record. Go figure!"
Soundgarden was never high on my list but not a bad album
I listened to this in art and yk what it wasn't bad. I hearted a couple of the songs. I can't say I loved it. it sounds like stuff that would be in a Shrek soundtrack. I would also like to comment that this webpage no longer displays the album cover fully for me on my laptop which is most dissapointing.
Very good grunge album with great vocals and no real weak moments. It is a little long and some songs are weaker than others (I never liked Spoonman) but definitely one of the better grunge albums.
'Black Hole Sun' is on my favourites list, but this album contains a lot more awesome tracks; 'My Wave', 'Fell On Black Days'. 4,5/5
Chris Cornell did have a great voice.
First things first, let's get the obvious out of the way: Chris Cornell's voice is incredible. He had one of the greatest rock voices of all time, and there were moments while listening to this album where his voice alone gave me chills. I had never listened to Superunknown before, but I was alive in the 90's, so of course I know (and love) Black Hole Sun. That was the only song I was familiar with going into this. It turns out that as much as I love Black Hole Sun, it's not even the best song on the album, at least in my opinion. There were a few songs I was kind of indifferent toward, but also several that blew me away and that I have been listening to on repeat. If I could give half-stars, I'd probably go with a 4.5/5, but as it is, I'm going to round up. I doubt I'll listen to the entire album again, but enough of the songs (over half) are in my regular rotation now that I have no qualms with giving it a 5. Standout Tracks: "Mailman," "Fell On Black Days," "Limo Wreck," "The Day I Tried To Live"
The sounds of my youth!
Nearly a perfect album. Wide range of sounds but mostly within the Grunge family.
This album came out when I was in grade school. I remember loving the single Black Hole Sun. This is one of the many albums that contributed to my love of heavy guitar riffs against an angsty, pain-ridden lyrical background of soul filled songs to fall deep into. I count myself lucky to grow up in such an era. This album gets all the bananas, maybe some will be left over for tomorrow's music.
For a long time, I disliked Soundgarden. Partially due to their popularity (yeah, I was one of those guys), and partially because they sparked the creation of many shitty grunge/rock bands. Those are both childish reasons to dislike a band (I was barely a teen when this album came out). Listening to this album as a middle-aged man, I get it. It rocks. I guess my head and heart needed to mature a bit before I could enjoy this record. My favorite song from this album is Kickstand. It is almost a punk song. 5 out of 5 stars (mostly because this album is iconic)
Good album all-around but Chris Cornell’s vocals are the highlight.
Although not really my music I can appreciate why it is on the list.
meh
I don’t know - it’s an album I might have really liked if I had known at the time but now seems a bit unremarkable. Black Hole Sun is a banger though.
Ongeïnspireerd
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to rock your socks off because we've got a real gem here. Superunknown, the iconic album by Soundgarden, is an absolute masterpiece that deserves a five-star rating and then some. Let's start with the man himself, Chris Cornell. I mean, come on, his voice is a generational talent. If there was a Mount Rushmore of rock singers, his chiseled chin and chiseled pipes would definitely be up there. And that's not even getting into the incredible range and power of his voice, which can soar to the highest heights and plunge to the deepest depths with ease. But let's not forget about the guitar work. Holy shredding, Batman! The riffs and solos on this album are out of this world. Kim Thayil, you are a guitar god among mortals. And the rhythm section? Don't even get me started. Matt Cameron is one lucky drummer to have played for both Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, and he brings a thunderous energy to every beat. And can we talk about "Black Hole Sun" for a minute? That song just fits perfectly into this album like a glove made of velvet and thunderbolts. The haunting melody and chilling lyrics make it an instant classic, and it's no wonder that it's become one of the most iconic songs of the '90s. I used to think it was just okay, but after hearing it in the context of Superunknown, I now appreciate it on a whole new level. And don't even get me started on "Spoonman." That driving beat and funky rhythm make me want to jump up and dance like a maniac. If you're not tapping your foot or banging your head to this song, then I don't know what to tell you. In conclusion, Superunknown is a must-have album for any rock fan. It's got everything you could ever want: killer vocals, mind-blowing guitar work, and a rhythm section that will make your heart race. So crank up the volume, put on your dancing shoes, and get ready to rock out like it's 1994 all over again.
8/10. Really good songs, not many lows. Great vocal performance, great mix and production, dark lyrics. Overall solid
track 1 gud when like its 2.33 mins in track 6 vocals bosh track 7 g tier
While it does have moments of brilliance, the album is too long for it's own good. Between the grunge albums that have legendary status, this is one of my least favorites.
I’ve listened to this one before and I love it even more! Just some tight grunge with great riffs and vocals. Black Hole Sun has my GH3 nostalgia. Album is a bit too long and repetitive as I started to check out in the 2nd half, but it still has its moments Fav Tracks: Let Me Drown, Fell on Black Days, Mailman, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, Fresh Tendrils, Like Suicide Worst Track: Head Down 8/10
God
Black Sabbath reinvented for the kids born in the 80's
creí que iba a ser peor 7/10
With how high my grunge score is, I expected to like this album more than I did. Perhaps I really just like Nirvana? I'll have to see what I think of some of the other big grunge albums still on here. A few songs piqued my interest a little here and there, but I didn't like anything on here nearly as much as Black Hole Sun. I was hoping I'd like this album more than I did. Oh well, I suppose. My favourite song was Black Hole Sun. Shocker, I know.
Vettig, stevig, goed
7/10 i want to love this album more, i love so many things about it (the atmosphere, the vocal performance) but it's just too long and feels really monotonous by the end.
7/10. Yeah, I get why this is good, and Black Hole Sun is great and all, but I don't like Soundgarden enough to get excited by listening to them for 70 minutes straight.
I don’t get the hype. Generally boring and sometimes annoying aside from Black Hole Sun. Such a dumb album cover too. 5/10
Chris Cornell is a musical god. I love everything the man ever did and I will always wish that I had gotten the chance to see him before he died. This is just a perfect album, "Fell On Black Days" is the third most popular song on the album, but is by far my favorite on the album. "The Day I Tried To Live" would be my second favorite. "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman" are obviously fantastic as well. It's just great. I want to talk more about it, but when I get too deep into the lyrics and symbolism of this album it makes me a little sad. I just can't praise the artistry and lyricism of Chris Cornell enough. He was a master of music and is dearly missed. Easily a 5 star album!
solid riffs but other than that meh
Aside from the big hits, there's a bit of filler and it's a little samey by the end, but there are no skips and enough hits to keep you invested until the end. 8/10
Normally not the genre I listen to but I enjoyed this
High notes on mailmen are superb. Chris Cornell has a powerful voice. Like this more than the Nirvana alblum we listened to. Black Hole Sun is such a classic. Spoonman spoons.
Veered between a 2 and a 3 on this, and ended up, because Day I Tried to Live and Black Hole Sun are such tunes, I gave them the benefit of the doubt. As 90s as a David Fincher movie.
great a classic
Right in my wheelhouse
Not for me but fine.
weak compared to blind channel
Hard rock bangaz. Inject into my veins
I've loved this record ever since it came out when I was still in junior high. I enjoy it no less today. I often go back and forth on whether I like Superunknown more or Badmotorfinger. Superunknown is definitely more tame, but some of the melodies are so much darker that it's a no-less entertaining album. Limo Wreck is still a song that gives me goosebumps every time; such a heavy verse, and Chris Cornell's vocals just absolutely soar in the chorus. Can't say enough good things.
Haven't listened to this album in forever. It was great. I don't quite connect with it to make it a 5/5, but it's close. 4.5/5
Is Superunknown the best mainstream rock album of the 90’s? Honestly, it’s probably not better than Badmotorfinger, which is tighter. But it’s cool that after that LP’s surprise success, they doubled down on their sludgy sound and put some of their best riffs down (“4th of July” is totally not a song that an act chasing the top 40 would make), while adding more melody. If it was a song or two shorter, it’d be in the A range, so I hope a B+ will do.
Never been a soundgarden fan, but I recognize Chris Cornell's voice anywhere. Much bigger fan of his Audioslave days. Even the soundgarden song that was made for 2012's Avengers didn't really capture me. Rock is a very delicate genre, one that can easily just sound like instruments playing. Truly great rock bands always have a special something, Tom Morello, Robert Plant, Eddie Van Halen, etc. You could argue that is Chris Cornell in this case, but the rest of his group felt like they were just playing some basic rock grooves. For the record, I'd take this album over so many other Brittish rock albums we have gotten. But, bring me an Audioslave album instead.
Generic, sorry. Our first from Soundgarden (I think), and it doesn't sound distinct from the many other grunge/rock type albums we've had. I know they're a big-ish deal, but this just wafted over me like an odorless fart. Two songs I picked out that I liked, but I'd never seek them out. Tepid start to the week. Favorite tracks: Mailman, Fresh Tendrils. Album art: Pretty cool, looks like a goblin boy screaming into the void? I don't know. I like the design here. 2.5/5
Goddamn masterpiece
The album that broke them, thanks to the power of MTV but not their best - the two before it were better. And too long.
No matter how loud this is played it can always go louder.
Je vais être très franc: je n'ai pas aimé
ça m’a donné envie que le grunge soit plus haut dans mes genres les moins likés
Great, driving grunge fare with superb rock vocals. Turn it up loud in the car.
No one sings like you anymore, Chris Cornell
There were some songs that I didn't hate.
Pas étonnant que Soundgarden ait gagné le prix de Joyeux Gueulards de l'année cinq fois d'affilée quand on voit à quel point ceux-ci m'ont baisé la gueule pendant toute la durée de l'album. Bravo à eux.
Cet album était excellent, et ce malgré la moindre proposition de chanson issue de la bande originale des Rois de la glisse.
Niet voor mij
Na een hele dag werken en broodjes bakken in het joods museum junior dacht ik: ach ik luister dit album even snel. Ik had vreselijke kinderen over de vloer gehad natuurlijk nét voor sluitingstijd en was hier nog geïrriteerd door. Ik dacht wel: buiten wordt het vast beter. Eenmaal buiten moest ik nog naar een overvolle appie toe omdat ik impulsief had besloten een taart te bakken voor jurs verjaardag. Aangekomen bij de appie besefte ik dat mijn taartvorm in een tas bij jur zelf stond, hadden ze maar 24 verjaardagskaarsjes in een pakje zitten maarja jur werd 26 dus moest ik nóg een pakje halen, werd ik natúúúrlijk gecontroleerd bij de zelfscan en ondertussen stond dit album ook nog eens op. Ik ben zwetend de appie uit gelopen en heb, na het oprapen van m’n fiets want die was ook nog eens gevallen, meteen iets anders opgezet; dit hoef ik echt nooit meer
Was bekend met soundgarden, maar niet bepaald een album dat ik zou luisteren. Zaten wel een paar prima nummers op, die ik misschien nog wel zou luisteren
Aside from the biggest songs this is fairly bland rock IMO
It's a monster of an album
Forgot how awesome this was
The sonics, especially the drums, are magisterial but also happily broad. A few of the influences are spread too thin, turning the last twenty-plus minutes samey.
One of the few grunge bands where the lead singer can actually sing where the lead singer can actually sing. This album was great, all of the tracks were good. This is another great album I probably wouldn't have listened to without this list. 9/10
Not offensive but also just… not for me.
This is a great, classic album. And I don't even think it's their best one. Badmotorfinger gets the nod, but just by a hair. It was such an groundbreaking album and this album just built upon it.
Better than I anticipated
Grunge grunge grunge
Brilliant, and timeless
It was alright. Probably something I'd listen to while working.
Grunge/metal, udmærket
I've listened to this so many times, one of the pinnacles of rock in that era. "Kickstand" still sucks, though.
Discazo que vengo escuchando hace banda.
The first time I ever heard a Soundgarden song was when Weird Al used a snippet of 'Black Hole Sun' in 'Alternative Polka' on his 1996 album Bad Hair Day. That would be my only exposure to them until probably later in the 90's when I would hear 'Black Hole Sun' on the local alternative rock radio station. I thought 'Black Hole Sun' was a great song, and I enjoyed how it was heavy but also slow and beautifully belted out by Chris Cornell. Fast forward to 2003. One morning, my parents found two CD cases (you know, the kind where you could stash a few dozen CD's and keep it in your car) in our yard. We had no idea where they came from, and we really didn't have a reasonable way to try to track down the owner. We figured a pissed off girlfriend had probably tossed her boyfriend's music collection out of the window as a means of revenge. Since we had no way of tracking down the owner, my parents let my brother and I keep whatever CD's we wanted, and one of the CD's I kept was Soundgarden's Superunknown. I can't remember the circumstances that led to my first listening of it, but I was blown away. I remember that this was the first time I had ever listened to an album and thought "I don't want to skip a single track on here. All of these songs are great." I remember being particularly blown away by 'Spoonman' and its insane drumming and use of spoons as percussion. Almost exactly 20 years after my first listen, I was delighted when this album came up for me today. I haven't intentionally listened to any songs on this album in several years, but it still holds up. Chris Cornell's ability to croon in a brooding manner still solidifies him as one of the best rock vocalists of all time, and his suicide makes the music on here about 10x heavier than when it was first released. Each song manages to have that heavy, grungy feel, but in its own unique way. The singles from this album still hold up, but 'Limo Wreck' and 'Let Me Drown' are gems too. This album is just expertly crafted in every way, and it's still wonderful to listen to.
Chris Cornell sure was talented and Soundgardens grunge sure is great to listen to. This album also has their hits like Black Hole Sun and Spoonman which I enjoy very much. The album as a whole on the other hand is alright. I think there's too many lows compared the highs. I also prefer Audioslave over Soundgarden.
Good album, somecparts reminder me on Pearl jam
Some rougher grunge. Liked a couple of the songs.
Why is this on the list.
The Led Zepplin of the 90's, probably better. Still don't like it.
Haven't really listened to much soundgarden before, but this is a decent metal album. Not unusual in any particular way, but well written
"Superunknown" is the fourth studio album by American rock band Soundgarden and the second one with bassist Ben Shepherd. It was produced by Michael Beinhorn (first time for them). The album has the heaviness of their previous releases but adds elements of pyschedelia, pop and especially arena rock. The drums and bass were recorded first and the guitars and vocals were layered over them. Yeah, this is a big sounding album and a pretty powerful band at the their height. Kim Thayil guitar and guitar riffs are a big highlight for me. Some label this as quintessential grunge; I'd actually say their previous album was heavier grunge but some songs are firmly in that category. The album themes/issues cover revenge, seclusion, fear, loss, discovery, substance abuse, suicide and depression. The album was a major success topping the charts in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. A whirly guitar, bass and drums come flying out of the gate on album opener "Let Me Down." This is a confident, rocking band. Vocalist Chris Cornell's sounds great on this song. The vocal and guitar layered give this a big sound. About crawling back into the womb to die, a la salmon. OK. A guitar riff begins the arena-rocker "My Wave." Fantastic guitar riff and chorus and interesting keys on this one. My favorite song on the album. Do whatever you want but keep it away from me and off my wave. And now we come to one of the bigger songs on the album in "Fell on Black Days." Another guitar riff open, more grungier. It's another interesting guitar key choice. Great guitar solo. A pretty depressing song lyrically. A very good under-the-radar song is "Superunknown." A catchy song. Guitarist Kim Thayil shines again. A more rock-pop song but still sounds heavy. Wobbly guitar begins their big hit "Black Hole Sun." Probably way over played on the radio stations I listened to at the time. An element of pyschedelia added. Cornell said he just played with lyrics and there's really not a meaning to the song. Drums and spoons drive the first single "Spoonman." Great guitar riff. A real life person in Artis the Spoonman. Another great guitar chorus and arena pop-rock song is "The Day I Tried Live." Cornell's best vocal performance in my mind. Trying to step out of being patterned, closed off and reclusive. An interesting song to check out is "Half." Bassist Ben Shepherd wrote and sings. Middle Eastern guitar. Don't give up. I actually like their previous album "Badmotorfinger" slightly more than "Superunknown." It's grungier and heavier but "Superunknown" is also a great album. The guitar riffs and choruses are fantastic and took Soungarden pretty much near the top of the rock world. This music fits Cornell's voice perfectly much better than anything he did after. It does suffer from the CD era coming in at over 70 minutes and could have been trimmed down.
Not bad, not something I would want but not bad.
Good playing. Chris Cornell’s voice is unique. A little too much 90’s for me. But, still a solid album
No one sings like Chris Cornell anymore. It's instantly recognizable, its range is insane, it's powerful, raw, and just leaves you in awe. So, so good. Besides that, the rest of the record is grunge music at its finest. There's no filler here, every song packs a punch - whether it's a straight up face punch like Spoonman or The Day I Tried to Live, or a more subtle jab like Limo Wreck or 4th of July. There's a range of sounds, but everything is peak grunge.
Elements of Led Zep, bit of Sabbath,, some grungy stuff. Loadsa massive riffs. Can't argue that Cornell has a great voice. A key 90s rock alt-album with a long running time. (77 min) and that feels too long. 3.5
Fantastic album, all time grunge classic
I expected more from such a decorated album. RIP Chris Cornell.
It seems too long from the outset but then you realise there's a lot of quality on it
Black Hole Sun is a classic (and an ear worm) and once I’ve heard it, I cannot stop hearing it in my head for the rest of the day. Soundgarden as a whole is a right time, right place kind of band for me. Yesterday was neither. I did try – morning, afternoon and evening. I appreciate that Chris Cornell was a towering talent and Soundgarden was the definitive voice of grunge for a generation. But once Black Hole Sun had played everything else paled by comparison. It is a great song though!
Great memories from the early 90s. Very heavy but I love the tones of each instrument. Very polished production for a grunge album. I'm not a big Chris Cornell fan but I do like his voice on this album. I think the processing on this album give it an ethereal sound but still heavy creating a sound balance. "Black Hole Sun" is one of my favorite songs. It's still just shy of a 5 star rating but pretty close.
The song structure is similar on many of the tunes in this album with enough differences to keep me interested. Spoonman, Black Days and Black Hole Sun are most familiar to me. I also really like the song Head Down. It has a trippier kind of vibe than the others.
This was on my extracurricular list until I realized it was already in the 1001, so the timing is pretty interesting. It's a lot to take in, for sure, but this is an extraordinary album. Peppered with influences, in a league of its own — the performances and songwriting are masterful. Cornell has everything you could want in a hard-rock vocalist, and he never found the balance between his wailing high end and rich baritone (?) more adeptly than on this album. Matt Cameron is a beast on drums, Kim Thayill's guitar is massive and the riffs are superb. I think it's really a 4.5 for me, just for its sheer density of material, but you'll not find a better album in this genre. Maybe because this carves out a special prog-heavy-classic-psychedelic-rock niche for itself. Great lyrics, too. This album kills.
Well-performed music that does nothing for me.
I’d never think of putting this album on for a listen but I’m glad I did.
A good example of the genre. Black Hole Sun is a genuine classic.
4.5, Cornell has such an iconic voice and the music holds up.
Love this album. Dark and powerful but such top tunes.
Lol, I don't know why everybody likes this album so much
Decent
Overall a solid above-average rock album. Black Hole Sun and Spoonman are big hitters. A couple stinkers but carried by the hits.
Somehow less than the sum of its parts. Not memorable to me.
Always like Chris Cornell, sadly missed
Classic yet overlooked grunge album Choice cut: My Wave, Fell On Black Day, Head Down, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman
Black Hole Sun is a classic. The rest is ok
Wasn’t too much into grunge when it was in vogue. Thought these guys were noisy and needed a weeding. Some of it is ok.
This has to be the worst Soundgarden album, made well after the best of grunge had faded. Louder Than Love is a much better listen.
Not my type of music
Superunknown is just ok…not much dynamic range in either pitch or volume throughout.
Rating of each track (based on personal enjoyment of course): 01: 1 02: 1 03: 1 04: 1 05: 1 06: 1 07: 5 08: 1 09: 1 10: 1 11: 1 12: 1 13: 1 14: 1 15: 1 mean = 1.27 median = 1 mode = 1 standard deviation = 0.998 FINAL SCORE: 1
Not really for me but it did not offend thine ears too much.
Soundgarden's 'Superunknown' pays homage to the classic rock sounds of the 70s with an array of immensely tight and equally wild grunge tracks within an ambitious runtime of 1 hour and 10 minutes. I'm somewhat surprised that this album came out in 1994. While Soundgarden can be pinpointed as one of the many Seattle grunge acts that attributed to the main stream success of the genre, they do shed their influences on their sleeve a little in contrast to Nirvana who had a clearly defined sound. Chris Cornell's hectic lead vocals combatted with wailing guitars and a heavy rhythm section sounds a lot like that of Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath. However, the songwriting chops are there to not become all that derivative. Track to track, this album is pretty fantastic. The track run from Mailman to Black Hole Sun is a goldmine for eccentric and pummelling grunge music. Those arpeggios on Black Hole Sun with that heavy tone are a thing of beauty. The Day I Tried to Live has this enthralling bass line that plays in an unorthodox time signature (I believe 7/8?) - the highlight of the album for me. As a collective album, this album falls flat on its face when it comes to diversifying its sound. For my liking, an album over an hour long simply cannot be one dimensional, and Soundgarden fail to keep me engaged as a result. Toward the end there are some duds, most notably Kickstand and Fresh Tendrils, which by this point in the record offer nothing new for the listener. If this album were say 45 minutes, I would've enjoyed this a whole lot more. Still, I completely see why this album is included in this list. I've given it a 3, but it's more like a strong 3 and a half
I love this record, it's the sort of album Beavis and Butthead would argue "kicks ass" and they would be right. They toured these tunes and then worked on them as a collective and it shows. It's a bit creepy, its a wonderful expression of the American dysfunction emerging in the early nineties, this is all free trade agreements, towns closing, work going off shore. The thing that is exceptional is how exceptionally dark things were getting, a portend for where they are are now as a country. I love Cornell's voice, Cameron's drum sound kicks and kicks hard. The two guitars crunch, no doubt Dan Auerbach spent a lot of time listening to this record. The biggies are deservedly big and don't need me to explain their greatness. Mailman, My Wave are brilliant, Head Down is psychedelic as fuck. A brilliant band album, they are all in there swinging and swinging hard.
Finally another album I own! (3rd so far, and first in ages.) That said, it’s a long time since I listened to all of it. So I was excited and curious: would it live up to my memory? Would I discover that the songs between the big favourites are all filler? As soon as I put it on (walking to the shops) I was launched into gear, trying not to look like an idiot head banging down the street. Listening in the car with my son, the epic songs just kept coming, right through to the end. Sounds as fresh, as heavy, and as awesome a mix of accessible and interesting as ever. This album is even better than I had remembered. I had guessed four stars, but this one absolutely earns FIVE STARS from me.
I would not have known a Soundgarden song if I’d tripped over one. Can’t say that I was a big fan of grunge. So this was a big surprise. There were only a couple of tracks I found just noisy & boring. The highlights for me were the Nirvana-like Fell On Black Days - loved the guitar in the second half of this; Black Hole Sun - can’t hear The Beatles influence in this or Head Down, as Wiki claims, but loved the melody of this song; Kickstand - a track that actually sounded like an old rock’n’roll song; and Like Suicide, particularly for the drumming & the pace of the tune. And the production was great. It sounded like a million.
I first heard Soundgarden watching rage at about 2am in late 89 or early 90. They immediately caught my attention. When Badmotorfinger was released in the first blast of mainstream grunge in Aug/Sept of 91, I was hooked. I played that record grey, and collected all of their back catalogue. The heaviness and innovation of the riffage, along with an embrace of guitar noise instead of the typical shredding that was all over 80s metal, was thrilling. But it was Chris Cornell’s voice that really grabbed me. It’s hard to think of another vocalist of the age that could match his range and intensity. I saw them at Selina’s in early 1994 (when Superunknown was in the can but not yet released). I was sceptical to see whether he match the intensity of the records live. And he sure could. I walked out amazed. There are certainly live recordings from later in his life when you could hear the damage of thirty years of hard use in his voice, but in 1994 he was at the height of his powers. And he sure could write a song. Critical response to Soundgarden differs wildly. Some condemn them as dumbed-down metal, full of clichés and nonsense. Personally, I think they often try to subvert the tropes of metal (cf ‘Big Dumb Sex’ from Louder Than Love, which I’m pretty sure is parody. I used to play that song at Scratches at very high volume when tire kickers wouldn’t leave the store well after closing time). Bootleg recordings suggest that they were aware how ridiculous the genre they worked in could be, and maintained a sense of humour about that, but were simultaneously aware of the power of the form. Soundgarden are generally a metal band I can listen to without feeling stupid. The art-metal of their early records has evolved to a much more melodic form. There are proper tunes here, and some stomping playing. It is produced to a high shine. This is an intentional masterwork, a sprawling and ambitious double-album. This inevitably suggests that maybe a few songs could be trimmed, but the high points are monumental. It is difficult album in some ways, pretty dark in tone and largely humourless, and driven by depression and anxiety. But the singles are all amazing, and many of the album cuts are also highly listenable, if you like this kind of thing. I have to give special mention to Matt Cameron. The drumming on this album is phenomenal. Given their tendency to play in weird and/or changing time signatures, his ability to keep songs driving forward with a constancy that can make a 9/8 almost sound like a 4/4 is genius! While possibly not the most important album in grunge (surely that must be Nevermind), I think this is the artistic highpoint of both Soundgarden and the genre. And one of the greatest metal albums of all time. Five stars for me.
one of my favorite LPs, though for Soundgarden I usually go for Badmotorfinger or Louder Than Love. Utterly original, which is difficult to do within the constraints of hard rock. Finest rhythm section since Led Zeppelin or Cream. Not a dull moment.
this album is a solid effort for mid 90s grunge rock. it has aged a little bit tonally and sonically. it has some cheeseball progressions and solos sometimes, but mostly it holds up and a standard bearer for radio friendly edgy light grunge stuff. this is grunge to show your grandma. good on ya boys.
It was okay. Not really my thing.
Great
A M A Z I N G
Siendo el cuarto álbum de la banda de Seattle, es el punto superlativo de su carrera. Hicieron un álbum alucinante en el cual cada tema es mejor que el anterior y en donde se mantiene en un nivel constante por lo bien que suena en todo momento. Los temas, sostenidos en el riff, se van construyendo progresivamente y armando verdaderos temazos de rock. Jugando con lo psicodélico, este álbum forma parte de la historia del grunge y del rock alternativo. Cada instrumento está muy bien interpretado y la voz de Chris Cornell, es historia pura del género. Sin dudas que es un álbum que quedó en la rutina de todos y marcó generaciones.
Very good. Kind of like a mesh between classic rock and the grunge rock that was becoming popular at the time. Definitely added some songs to my playlists from this album.
Heard it a gazillion times don't need to hear it again lol
Too rough
Mailman could have been in Badmotorfinger and it’s a lot of what I think this album is missing. Head Down is my other favorite from this album. Black Hole Sun is a marginally interesting song that was made unlistenable over the course of the 10,000 times I heard it. Spoon Man sucked from the outset and I wish I could unhear it for every time I’ve heard it. Soundgarden could produce the dark, sludgy, brooding sound as well as any band and that’s what I really want to hear from them. This album isn’t bad, but it strays away from my opinion of the best version of this band. It’s lighter, poppier, less complex.
Prefs: Mailman, Superunknown, Black Hole Sun, Limo Wreck, 4th of July Moins pref: Spoonman
Прослушано! Отличный драйвовый альбом, можно переслушать.
Not sludgy per se but sludgier than I expected. Pleasantly surprised.
Taking cues from the most hedonistic of 70s hard rock, Superunknown is Soundgarden at their most evolved stage. Trudging and pummeling, whilst keeping their guards slightly down, this over an hour long work remains as compelling today as it did when it came out, ensuring that grunge's time in the spotlight would be ongoing despite happenings that thought otherwise. Favorites: Let Me Drown, My Wave, Fell on Black Days, Superunknown, Head Down, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, Limo Wreck, The Day I Tried to Live, Fresh Tendrils, 4th of July.
I love Chris Cornell and consider him one of the very top rock vocalists ever. As for Soundgarden, it has always been my least favourite of grunge's big 4. They played a much different sound than the rest of the scene and you'll hardly find any poppy tunes here as on Nirvana or even Pearl Jam's releases. However, this is not to say it's bad - on the contrary. The music on this album is energetic hard rock with depressing suicidal lyrics, which create great contrasts and break my heart considering how it all ended. They also played much more with progressive side of rock, adding multiple tempo changes and unusual time signatures. In that respect, it's much closer to Stone Temple Pilots than the rest of the Seattle scene. Listening to the album I get a feeling that this is also the most mature music that came out of that era. Other than Black Hole Sun (which is easily among the best tracks of the 90s), my favourites: Head Down, Mailman and Fell On Black Days which has one of the best lyrical description of depression I've heard in music. 4.5/5
Quite an enjoyable listen, but could have done with a bit more shade and light. Black Hole Sun stands out, but lack of variety loses it a point
I have been disliking most grunge entries uptil now, but this is a really solid album. Not only because of the songwriting, that I found to be inspired and varied, but also of course because of Cornell and his voice.
Wasn’t bad. I don’t think it’s my thing
Kind of fits into the unnamed category that includes Faith No More etc. I know they're good rock bands, but they inspire nothing in me.
Dark, thumping, raging rock. Some absolutely belting riffs decorate this epic. 5/5
Phenomenal album, Cornell’s vocals and a killer guitar make this shit
:horns:
Some hits, but a few skippable songs.
Appreciated but not really enjoyed
A few good tunes on here including Fell on Black Days and Black Hole Sun. The rest is a little heavier than I prefer.
Legendary sounds from this band presented on the album. Tracklist feels strange. From the day I tried to live and spoonman this album has amazing grunge tracks.
Good grunge album. A bit too long.
Nose
kuuluu bändeihin, joista mun pitäis teoriassa tykätä, mut käytännössä puuduttaa. tavallaan lohdullisen tuttu soundi, jota voi pitää äänimattona taustalla, mutta ei herätä oikein muita tunteita kuin väsymyksen
Liian teknistä ja raskasta, liikaa "hyviä muusikoita". Ymmärtävät tosin jonkin verran melodioiden päälle.
Way way too long. It’s obvious why black hole sun is their most popular song
There are strong examples of great songwriting and entrancing melodies on this LP (Black Hole, Spoonman, Head Down), but they're weighed down by either running for far too long or are in general drowned out by the sub-60 BPM chugfests surrounding them. I'm all for some proto-djent sludgy guitar lines, but filling over an hour of runtime with slow-burn grunge and ONLY slow-burn grunge is a recipe for boredom.
Heavy as fuck, dark and twisted
Much more analog rock feeling (elec guitar, bass, drums) than I expected.
Great
spoonman 👍
Super, maar net geen 5 voor mij; niet alle nummers springen eruit
I miss Chris Cornell
Good stuff
A powerhouse of an album. Chris Cornell was one of a kind.
I was all ready to call this cruddy butt-rock. And it *is* butt-rock. But it isn't cruddy. It's heavy with pretension, yes. But it's also just plain heavy, though not in a thrashing guitar tornado kind of a way. In a, well, black hole kind of a way. Oppressive tone, foreboding feel, lugubriuous groove. And unlike most wailers, Chris Cornell sounds like he might actually have a soul. Hell, he may even be soulful. For what it's worth, I didn't want to turn it off once in 70 minutes. There's no way I can low-ball an album that does that.
Sounds like Seattle, in a good way.
An absolute banger of an album, wonderful to revisit. Favorites: My Wave, Superunknown, Black Hole Sun
Soundgarden is great. I grew up with this album. My Wave, Fell On Black Days, Black Hole Sun, and The Day I Tried To Live Spoonman, of course. I'm tired of this song, but there is no doubt of its popularity.
Top 20, maybe too 10 album for me
Not just an essential grunge album, but an essential album. The guitars, the production, but above all the vocals. Chris Cornell was such a talent. Brought back a lot of fond memories. Favorite track: The Day I Tried to Live.
Never listened to the whole album but have heard most of the songs. Chris Cornell's voice is instantly recognizable. Heavy, Grungy, Rock. Good times. Favorite songs: Black Hole Sun and Spoonman (which i always thought was "strongman" - lol)
Awful, awful music. I only persisted with this for Black Hole Sun - hardly the cheeriest of tunes. I'm proud of my musical prejudices. Ultimately I know I am right. You always need some Roll with your Rock. No soul, no ta.
Reminds me of Good and bad of high school
Un peu long, mais il y a tant de bonnes choses là-dessus. Chris Cornell a toujours été un de mes chanteurs de rock favori et ce disuqe est à la hauteur. Il y a aussi plein de belles trouvailles rythmiques et le son pesant de cet album est tellement satisfaisant.
Un incontournable du groupe et un album rock important des années 90.
Ja rocka me de
☝️☝️☝️ ⚠️Whiteboy on the mic⚠️ Exciting rethinking of rock ideas of both their past and present with inspired playing (particularly the drumming). Could’ve been shorter though
Tråkigt!
Honestly kind of slow for me at the beginning but then the energy really picked up. I think I’ve gotten accustomed to music that has 60+ layered tracks and my ear needed to get used to just the guitar drums bass and vocals. Super simple stuff but it goes hard
A great hard rock album, 90s style. A side note, the advent of the CD pushed artists to fill the capacity, leading to many releases to be in the 70 plus minute range. While not quite a double album length, it is awfully close. It is awfully hard to make a great double album, but that is the burden artists in the CD era put on themselves. All that said, Superunknown is pleasantly devoid of filler. The scope is appropriately expansive. The Day I Tried to Live rocks, Like A Suicide gives us an acoustic close and Black Hole Sun is an enduring classic. The progression from Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath wanabees to a great hard rock band is impressive.
Chris Cornell is criminally underrated. To me Soundgarden is every bit as good as nirvana.
Very solid hard rock/grunge. This sounds like a Blueprint for foo fighters but with more sonic texture. Chris Cornell has a pretty astounding voice. While this album was not really my personal preference, if was definitely well made if a few tracks too long. Black Hole sun was the only one I knew before and it seems pretty obvious why when I listen to the album in full.
Very good
Not sure how to describe this album and ive known it for most of my life. Very human of an album. Its a perfect mix of the grunge sound, hard rock ballads, psych sludge sound, heavy stoner riffs, and really catchy choruses. Chris Cornells voice is unreal with how talented it is.
Best Song: The Day I Tried To Live. I think Cornell really lets his voice run in this track. Obvious honorable mention to "Black Hole Sun", but that song suffers somewhat from being played so much. Worst Song: Half. Far too meagre a mostly instrumental track to have this late in the album. Overall: It's pretty good. Cornell's voice is the obvious star here, but everything surrounding it is good and grungy. The main knock against it is its length. At a little over an hour, I don't think the album tries enough different things to really stand out, and gets bogged down once you get past the hits.
I recognized most of the songs on this album! Really enjoyed it a lot and can see how much it influenced the hard rock/metal bands to come.
Can’t go wrong with classic 90s alt rock
An album that's back-loaded with the all the goods. 'Let Me Drown' is a groovy grunge opener, but it then all feels a bit filler until the crowd favourite 'Black Hole Sun' (whose music video now looks like a stoned A-level students films studies coursework) through to the muddy jewel in the crown: the sludgy, LSD inspired '4th of July' If, whilst listening to it, you felt "do you know what? This bass could be a bit heavier", then here's a tremendous doom-centric lockdown cover version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=badIQlcOLcg
Unspeakably bad
The genre of American heavy-light-rock is one I struggle with. doesn't have the grunge of Navara, nor the dynamism of REM, nor the pure belters of RATM. Found this quite middle of the road - does get going for 'Superunknown', and 'Spoonman' builds well - rest of it is a little insipid, without being otherwise interesting.
I found myself craving melody and any sound other than loud guitars. Black Hole Sun is a classic and Head Down was a surprise find. The band said they wanted to be a bit more Ringo on this album (the drumming was awesome) but think they should have tried to be a bit more Paul.
Some good tunes on this and you can hear the similarities with desert stoner rock which I love. Much prefer Badmotorfinger, Rusty Cage being fantastic
This was one of the albums that was played on repeat during my teenage years - Black Hole Sun still a stand out track, and I vividly remember the music video making an impact at the time (in the golden days of MTV!!!)
This album is a belter. Reminds me of good times. Songs of note: Black Hole Sun Spoonman Let Me Drown is a brilliant opener. Love the drums, the driving basslines and Chris Cornell’s vocals are iconic. Absolutely one of my top 100 albums.
Tough one. I had the highest of hopes, but too often it sounded like a messy assault of noise and screaming. I'm sometimes down with that, but not this time. Whenever they hit on a melody, it sounded great, but that only came to fore towards the second half of the album. Interesting rhythmically throughout, and without sounding like 7/8 tosspots. Suspect this one will grow on me when I give it another chance, so I'll round up from 3 and a half. Prime cuts: Head Down, Black Hole Sun, 4th of July, Let Me Drown.
Classic, not one I would have listened to all the way through without this, but I'm glad I did! Spoonman and the peerless black hole sun are the best known, but every track has its own charms. Loved it
It's difficult to describe how important this record was to a 15-year-old me. The angular rhythms, Chris Cornell's growl-into-a-wail, it all just made sense to me. Still does. I haven't listened to this record in years, but man, these tracks still kill. I'd say I'm biased based on my youth, but I revisited another album that was important to me when I was younger (Franz Ferdinand's self titled), and that one didn't hold up. Everything about this one still works for me. Favorite tracks: "Limo Wreck", "The Day I Tried to Live", "My Wave", "4th of July"
I just didn’t *get* it. This was the first big challenge to my open mind—-I’ve never liked this kind of rock outside of like the best of Nirvana, the sound is *dated* to my ears, etc. I have to try it again—-I could loosely get why it was considered so good, but I couldn’t meet it.
RIP Chris Cornell
Wauw…..
Great album. Good stuff in the middle that wasnt released as singles
Mucho muy bueno
Loved it, already knew the biggest hits from the album but hadn't heard many of these songs like Fell on Dark Days!
Amazing album. Some of their best stuff on this. But there are a few skippable songs.
Sounds good but not my thing. And why are all the songs 4-5 minutes long?
有几年不听垃圾摇滚了，又脏又重，有内味了，ROCK！硬朗的人声，喧嚣的乐器，起飞～
Did not liek
Okay, never given this a chance before, but Black Hole Sun is an all timer, so I go in hopeful! It's definitely good. There are other good songs on here. The drumming is brilliant.definitely the most grooveable, rhythmic grunge act as a result. However, BHS aside, which could have another half hour as far as I'm concerned, a lot of the songs have said all they need to say within 3 or 4 minutes - but choose to carry on to 6 or 7. Probably a sad byproduct of the CD age - just because you can fill 80 minutes doesn't mean that you should... So overall, a really really good, but overlong album.
Grunge - not my thing
Un álbum lleno de energía y potencia.
Listened to the album while working. After Black Hole Sun, I tuned out and don't remember much of the rest of the album. All the songs sounded very similar.
Steady, sing-to-the-mic 90s rock. I kinda enjoyed it, but it didn't really touch me.
I can see why some will call this repetetive as it does have a strong similarity throughout. If, though, you do something well then why not do that, and Soundgarden do it extremely well here. Chris Cornell was unique and his vocals do dominate the recording. Whether it is better than Badmotorfinger is open to question, it is more polished and better produced, but maybe loses something in sponteneity. I know that Soundgarden are considered grunge, but in reality they were simply a very good rock band that happened to come from the same place and time as the grunge movement, there is little here that is grunge. Would be rated a 5 if it were a little more varied, or perhaps a track or two shorter. I want to give it 4.5
I can acknowledge Chris Cornell has an insane talent vocally, but I just can't really vibe with Soundgarden. Idk why, but I gotta just leave this album as a 3.
Liked it nice guitar riffs, sick drums
- the drums sound INCREDIBLE, super punchy without taking over the whole mix - every time i was iffy on a song, they won me over by the end - the riff at the beginning of 4th of july sounds like a hardcore band riff in a good way - feel like the album couldve been cut down to like 10/11 songs fav song - black hole sun - 4th of july least fav - mailman
Love his voice but that can not carry the whole album for me
Decent album, better EP. Tons of hits. Favorite tracks include "Back Hole Sun" and "The Day I Tried To Live". "Spoonman" was a massive radio hit, but the song is pretty terrible. Chris Cornell's voice isn't for me – the falsetto screams are a little too hair metal. They probably could have shortened this album by about 20-25 minutes. A 70 minute guitar-driven album gets boring.
I hadn't listened to this record in its entirety since the obligatory grunge-fanatic period as an angsty teen. I found it to be a surprisingly tedious listen, the album bloated and most tracks way too polished for my taste. There are obviously some legendary tracks on this, but then there's also 'Half' which is just... not that good.
The one album that really makes Soundgarden deserve their spot in grunge history alongside Nirvana and Pearl Jam. Super unknown is the first truly great Soundgarden album; it’s heavier and more harrowing, it’s faster and more experimental and it’s the absolute peak of the band’s songwriting - especially when it comes to range and complexity. It’s greatest strength, beside from Cornell’s awesome vocal, is the variety in genres. The heavy stuff is great, the ballads are great. But I’ve never truly understood the brutal 70 minutes playtime. While there are few actually weak tracks you feel full when it’s over; and I would have loved being left wanting way more!
It's a great album, heard it plenty of times.
Dark and progressive. Angry dee feeling but catchy at points. Great solos and drum sections. Interesting listen
Feel like I was listening to an album with songs from my childhood/preteen years. This dad rock sound is a meme 25 years later and I can't not be annoyed by Chris Connell's vocals. Sometimes I wish he would stop singing and let me hear the music in the bg.
Meh
Incredible sonic voyage from start to finish. This album was a massive paradigm shift for Soundgarden and forever cemented their place in rock history.
Never really listened to much Soundgarden before this. But wow, Chris Cornell is one hell of a singer and a haunting lyricist. I’m not sure I’m going to be regularly returning to this album, but I feel good knowing I have them a chance and stuck through something I wouldn’t have sought out myself. The final track, “Like Suicide,” struck a nerve, especially knowing how his life ended a few years ago. I never really listened to the words of “Black Hole Sun,” but he says “No one sings like you anymore,” which is the name of his final album, comprised of cover songs. That was a great listen and I hope it makes this list. I feel like grunge takes on a whole new meaning with Soundgarden. They’re more arena rock than anything, in my opinion. Definitely grunge compositions, but the way they’re carried out production-wise gives them a Queen-ish tint. I almost feel like I need to hear it again in one sitting because I broke it up quite a bit. Really appreciated it regardless.
2.5
Fantastic album. Cornells voice is one of a kind. Some great tracks throughout. A couple filler songs here and here with a track count of 16. Could definitely cut some for a more refined listen.
Great first half. Ok second half
Dijk van een Album! Fell on Black Days, Spoonman maar vooral Black Hole Sun. manmanman. Episch RIP cornell
Foo fighter vibe. Toffe listen
Better than expected
Cover art 1/5
One of the Mount Rushmores of grunge. Especially chilling final track given Chris Cornell’s passing a few years ago. RIP.
Perfect
Гранж и гранж
The singing is good, but the songs are uninteresting.
Honestly thought I would hate this album, mostly based on the cover art. Being uninitiated with Soundgarden, I thought it was going to just be bad screaming and obnoxiously loud instrumentals, but wow, did I wind up loving this. Great, great vocals on this album, and the entire thing was just what I needed this morning: some fantastic grunge rock and roll. Even though it was over an hour, I never got tired, as the quieter moments intertwined nicely with the louder sections. Great variety that shows these guys know how to make a comprehensive album.
Classic innit
Soundgarden's best album, and defines an entire decade of music. Every single track is solid - 5/5
Excellent grunge. Thought I'd like it based on the tracks I knew but the whole album exceeded my expectations. Not sure why I never really took the time to listen to more Soundgarden before. I'm giving it 4.5 stars, but heck, I'll round up as a 'pleasantly surprised' bonus. SPOONMAN!
Not only is this Soundgarden’s best album, I would say it would have the genre’s tour de force if it wasn’t for Nevermind that simply got there first. Regardless, the album is loaded with original and creative tracks that have become the signature music of the era (and still do very well today, thank you very much). When I fall on black days, this album knows how to pick me up. I will also note my favourite tracks are not your Black Hole Suns, but rather the songs at the album's end (4th of July, Half, Like Suicide). It is as if, by that stage of the album, Soundgarden stopped caring about the hit factor and was just producing groovy (if melancholy) music. P.S. Chris Cornell: what a voice! Probably one of the best modern male singers of recent times.
Not my favourite genre but they do it well and Black Hole Sun is pretty cool
Black hole sun will always have a special place in my heart. Grew up listening to this album with my dad. Not very into this genre right now, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
The name of this band, Sound Garden, is lovely. I love gardens but this is the kind of music that could kill your plants. Not a fan of grunge, though I do like some Curt Cobain. Not this, no thanks.
listen
Great sound. A few songs stood out.
Even though I had this album in 1994, I don’t think I’ve ever listened to it straight through. It’s much better than I remembered.
Soundgarden is the epitome of the soundscape of the rock/metal/grunge of the 90s. Chris Cornell & Co were able to successfully pivot from their earlier punk influences and transform it into a truly fresh sound, with obvious new influences such as Nirvana. It's easy to see how Soundgarden are generally known for being stoner music, and with Superunknown being a long album, but it's definitely worth the listen (even if your're not high). Best: Black Hole Sun Worst: Half
I was a fan of Soundgarden in the early days, but it all became a bit glossy and rock-god for my tastes.
Rock n roll at its finest
Black Hole Sun er nok til å gjøre dette til en klassiker
Is it perfect? Nah. Does it have Black Hole Sun and Spoonman on it? Yesh. Five stars. SPOOOOONMAAAANNNN
Possibly the greatest album of the 90s? Definitely the best of the big 4 grunge bands and the best grunge album ever. Just an all-around kick-ass album. 9-10/10
It’s not doing it for me. All sounds technically adept but just a bit miserable for me. Lacking in any sense of fun. Could have scraped it’s way to 3 stars but it just kept going til I had to turn it off.
This is good. I enjoy it, but I really don't what all the excitement was. Black hole Sun is good. Maybe I just suck at connecting with 90's music.
There's a lot of heavy stuff and early 90s stuff that I hate but this one is OK
I’m definitely not a fan of Grunge and Soundgarden. People love the guitars and the vocals but I really couldn’t get thru this.
Grunge var det jeg vokste opp med, men med unntak av enkeltlåter "forstod" jeg jeg aldri Nirvana, PJ, AiC og MLB før ti år etter. Soundgarden var derimot top notch. Sikkert fordi de ligger nærmere klassisk rock. Dette albumet har bare blitt bedre med tiden.
Soundgarden <3
Hadde tenkt å høyra på soundgarden i dag, så passa bra Bra album, men trur eg må spara siste stjerna til nirvana kjem
Loved it !4*
Go on then. A Friday feeling 4. Feels a little dated to be honest but hit me OK.
It’s hard for me to be objective about ‘Superunknown, an album I listened to religiously as a teenager. Personal bias aside though, it’s honestly great, and despite its 70-minute length, it’s strangely concise, probably owing to the deliberately polished production that still manages to retain the bands trademark heavy rock sound, without sacrificing their raw edge and grim, despairing outlook on life. There are genuinely few weak spots to be found, and it’s one of those records that gets better the longer it goes. It’s up there with the best of the 90s grunge era albums, and a genuine counterpoint to the likes of Nirvana and Pearl Jam, in that this a band gunning for mainstream popularity, not deliberately trying to shun it like those two.
Great album! Heavier than I expected which is a big plus for me!
Not my style of music
I like Soundgarden, and the album feels very energetic (sometimes too much even). Not very original, but my favourite (by far) remains Black Hole Sun
Not my type of music, also dnf
Hm not my cup of tea but interesting taste of music.
The NME always put me off Soundgarden, presumably because they weren't British and ugly and terrible. But I feel like I missed out now, I love the range of Cornell's voice and the power of the production. It does outstay its welcome a bit though.
What a way to start a 1001 albums to listen to before you die! It feels like such a long album - but in all the best ways. Albums quite often have 3, maybe 4 great tracks but this is one that just keeps on giving - Spoonman, Fell on Black Days, Superunknown, The Day I Tried to Live, Black Hole Sun, 4th of July... Listening to this on Spotify I kept going back and thinking I'd maybe finished the album and it had started a 'best of' track listing. This is an album released in the MTV heyday, and I distinctly remember the videos accompanying the tracks being of equal quality - Black Hole Sun and Spoonman in particular. Chris Cornell was special, nobody does sing like him anymore. If you're looking for the perfect introduction to Soundgarden, there is arguably no better place to start than this album.
pretty good but not Chris Cornells best album 3.5
One of the best ever
It's all blurred into one track in my head, but I really liked it.
Soundtrack to my adolescence. Chris could do no wrong on the 90s. What a voice!
That was far more enjoyable than I was expecting.
4/5
If You Know Someone in Crisis Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All calls are confidential. RIP Chris
SPOONMAN
Interesting work, even for the one who is not into grunge.
Soundgarden was always my favorite of the Seattle bands. They were at the core of the whole alternative scene, but they also were more “musical” than some of their peers. Soundgarden was a band that both alternative and metal fans could appreciate. They were the total package for this kind of music - grinding, searing, wailing guitars, a kickin' rhythm section, a vocalist who could do almost anything he wanted to with his voice. Dark, powerful songwriting that dealt with struggles of the mind and struggles of the spirit. Songs that rocked out heavily, but were still musically gorgeous. This album embodies all of that. The sound is rich, layered, sophisticated, surprisingly melodic. It’s really beautiful to listen to without sounding overly polished or losing a bit or the band’s fire. This is an album that grows on you with repeat listenings, as all great albums do. As I listen to Superunknown now, which I listened to a lot when it came out, I’m struck by how lyrically dark it really was. I mean, a lot of music was at the time, so I didn’t really think much about it then. It’s painful to listen to Chris Cornell’s lyrics now without thinking about where his story would end. Cornell was a once in a lifetime talent, and I miss him. Fave Songs: Fell on Black Days, My Wave, Black Hole Sun, 4th of July, The Day I Tried to Live, Let Me Drown, Spoonman, Like Suicide
One of the great 90’s rock albums.
Je m'attendais pas à ca, mais j'aime ce groupe grunge/rock, ca me fait beaucoup penser à Pearl Jam des bouts et j'adore. 4.90
RIP Chris Cornell
If Nirvana is grunge's Michael Jordan, Soundgarden is the genre's Karl Malone. Their music is decent enough, maybe a handful of their songs hold up, but nothing legendary. This is probably as good as it gets for Soundgarden. Chris Cornell fronted bands with awful names. I hope that didn't add to his depression.
The best Soundgarden album? The best grunge album? An argument could be made.
I didn't get all that much from this, Black Hole Sun by far my favourite that has a different sound from their heavier stuff. To be fair there's only a handful of grunge bands I like
I love this record. It’s the peak of Soundgarden. The songs are their strongest and they really found themselves here.
Damn, this album holds up...honestly didn't think it would but still pretty amazing.
It’s not that the members of Soundgarden aren’t talented. They clearly are. Chris Cornell has a powerful, passionate voice with an incredible range. And bassist Ben Shepherd, drummer Matt Cameron, and guitarist Kim Thayil can thrash away with the best of ‘em. But there’s three things about 'Superunknown' that just put my teeth on edge: 1) The recording of the drums, the snare, in particular, has a thuddy sound as if too much air has been left out of the balloon. And Cameron flails away on them too much, as well. Less is more, Matt. Listen and learn from Ringo Starr. 2) Kim Thayil’s guitar leads are all speed and no finesse, mostly absent of any melodic sensibility. And sometimes its as if he’s purposefully playing off-notes. Avant garde? Perhaps. But it’s not particularly pleasant to listen to. 3) The (mostly Cornell) lyrics are relentlessly depressing. Worse still, unequivocally life denying. My god, when a poor bird flew into Cornell’s window, injuring itself to the point where he put it out of its misery by smashing its head with a rock, the only wisdom he was able to glean from it and share on the final song was: ‘She lived like a murder. How she’d fly so sweetly. She lived like a murder. But she died just like suicide.’ Nearly half the song titles read like a cry for help: ‘Let Me Drown,’ Fell on Black Days,’ ‘Black Hole Sun,’ ‘Limo Wreck,’ ‘The Day I Tried to Live,’ ‘Like Suicide.’ And the heavy, heavy downward doom chord progression on songs like ‘Limo Wreck,’ for example, just accentuates these terribly bleak lyrics. Again, these fellas are talented… but desolate. When African American blues musicians speak of the value of their music, it’s often surprising to folks unfamiliar with the genre. The blues, they claim, are not intended to rub salt into an already open wound. On the contrary, the blues are about healing, an easing of the tension and anxiety that is the Black American experience, an expression of the hope and strength of voices who refused to be silenced by oppression. The purpose of the blues is to lift up the blue. This is very different from what’s going on both in the sharing and receiving of the songs on 'Superunknown.' And that’s what makes this recording a potentially dangerous and deadly LP in the wrong ears. It might have been interesting to engage Chris Cornell in a discussion about this, what value he thought his music might have on a fraying American culture. But, on May 18, 2017, at the age of 52, he killed himself by hanging.
Awesome grunge staple. Chris Cornell has one of the best voices ever. Soundgarden in underrated compared to their grunge peers in my opinion.
I can't really get behind this album. It's rock, and I suppose in some way it might be catchy to some, but there aren't a lot of songs I've heard that I think I should go back and listen to. It's a shame that Black Hole Sun is the one that gets all the airplay, as it's not the best song on the album. Perhaps the most Top40 radio appropriate I guess. Overall, better 90s rock bands if that's what you're craving. 3 stars - it's ok.
Goddamn I miss when rock and roll had some emotion to it. There’s equal parts emotion and power to everything happening. Cornell’s voice is next level and the production makes this an absolute favorite.
None of these grunge bands for me can compare to the songwriting of Nirvana. The guitars and vocals are great, but not a single song leaves an effect on me.
A very average album that lacked any highlights and suffers from a long length and messy sounding production/recording
Very good, good stuff
This is probably the 90s grunge masterpiece; the heavy metal White Album. The song-writing is sophisticated, tuneful, heavy, and insightful. I know some critics (Christgau, for example) finds their lyrics asinine, but, by the measure of heavy metal lyrics, they are not stupid. Cornell's voice was rarely better, Thayill's playing is inventive but less reliant on pure noise than on previous records, and Matt Cameron's drumming is best in class. His ability to make even a weird time signature sound like a straight four (until you listen closely) is masterful. Dynamic, tuneful, with classic rock influences that rise above mere pastiche, I really think this is Soundgarden's masterwork (even if I have nostalgic preference for some of their other records). The best metal album of the decade, and certainly top 3 for the entire grunge oeuvre.
good
My favourite band, my favourite voice, I can't score this anything but top marks. I'd double it if I could. I saw Soundgarden a few times, including once a few days after this album release, a VIP show in London. It's still one of the best days of my life. The first track they played was Let Me Drown and I was in a state of awe from the first note. This is all perfect, everything about it. I am very biased, but music doesn't come much better.
Great sound - beefy guitars and drums. Nicely layered. Interesting meters without sounding smart-arsed. Hard to fault.
Classic grunge album. Definitely super nostalgic to me. Black Hole Sun is just an absolute classic. The album maybe could've done with a bit of trimming down though if I'm being honest.
What an album! 9/10.
Great album. Really enjoyed it
Loved it, will listen more!
Brilliant
A classic grunge album with some iconic tracks, especially Black Hole Sun.
Soundgarden passed me by in the 90s. Quite enjoyed this and would have liked it more at the time. Dece t bit of grunge rock though.
Love soundgarden
I've got this on right now and my hopes that it will end before summer comes are fading fast. As I listen I've tried to put myself into a "rock fan's" shoes, thinking about what it is the they might like about it, to eek out as much "enjoyment" as I can. I suppose Cornell had a decent David Coverdale / Robert Plant holler if you like that sort of thing; it's a riffarama too, of course, though the guitar tone is often teeth-curlingly unpleasant; and it's dynamically arranged. I'm aware that this is seen as a classic of its genre and I've no doubt it has many fans on Now Playing but, screech and bray though old Chris might, it's been hard work for me. In its defence, it did become quite interesting when Head Down and then Black Hole Sun took a psychedelic detour - though the latter starts much better than it ends - but now it's back to identikit whinge-rock. Meanwhile, I'm considering stabbing a biro into my thigh.