Superunknown

Black Hole Sun on MTV, by chance, as a kid. That was the introduction. The melting faces, the overwhelming wrongness of the video, and then that voice. Cornell's voice is like an electric guitar with a full pedalboard — clean and melodic one moment, then overdrive, then full fuzz, sometimes mid-phrase. Nobody else did that quite the same way. It's technically staggering and emotionally direct in a way that technical things rarely are. Superunknown isn't quite my daily listening — the grunge/alt-metal territory sits a little outside where I naturally land. But this is the kind of album where the craft is undeniable. You hear it and you just respect it. 3.5/5 — filed under 4. The voice alone earns it.

Great grunge record. Great voice, of course. “Black Hole Sun” is so good, as are “Fell on Black Days” and “Wave”

Linkin park daddy

Fantastic classic album. Fell on Black Days is such an amazing song. Chris Cornell might have had the greatest hard rock voice of all time.

An essential Soundgarden record, sure, but good god do I hate 'black hole sun.' Possibly the only grunge song worse than 'yellow ledbetter,' but Soundgarden get a higher score solely because Chris Cornell could ACTUALLY sing. Crazy how this band predates most grunge bands, excluding- most notably- pioneers The Melvins.

This feeds my grungy, millennial heart. Some classics, but even their lesser known songs are great. Loved the album, but not yet worth 5 stars for me.

4/5 Favorite Song: Fell On Black Days

Well, he has a great voice. Like vender and Lanagan the voice keeps it rich and warm, say Unlike AiC that It, for me, stays this side of heavy metal to be heavy rock or grunge, whatever that is. Good record. 4 Star

Yay! I’ve always loved black hole sun but I’ve never listened to a soundgarden album! Which always felt sacrilegious living in Tacoma and spending so much time in Seattle. I remember when Chris died. There were so many losses that year. This album was perfect blasting on a dreary morning drive to grab coffee in Maine. Which has such PNW vibes. Though decidedly not grunge. Also Love Spoonman.

Enjoyed this.

First one I was actually familiar with prior

Lowkey fire

I like their sound! 3.5 maybe. I like the grungyness of it

Good album. Great songs

Peak and essential grunge. I prefer Soundgarden to some of the other grunge bands and I quite enjoyed this. Dragged a bit at the end but wasn't shocked there.

It's not all hits for me, but there's good reason for this album to be a foundational text of the Seattle grunge boom, at least commercially. The Soundgarden project feels more palatable or compromising than some of their contemporaries- they're a lot less alienating than Nirvana or Alice in Chains often were at the very least- but they have a real technical foundation that the others didn't. The one-two punch of Black Hole Sun and Spoonman show this off most clearly in my opinion. Cornell's vocals on BHS are extremely controlled and downright pretty, while the percussion on SM is exactly as interesting as is called for. Overall, it's a very cohesive album that shows off their best, even if I don't find the whole thing interesting.

Stone cold classic. Really love this album. RIP Chris Cornell.

Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Near Perfect - Let Me Drown sets out what this album is in the first track. Huge riffs, soaring, tortured vocals and a delicate touch that most grunge bands could never get near. My Wave shows the pop sensibilities that would give them a huge hit later in the album. Fell On Black Days is incredible and Mailman is impossibly heavy. The title track races along and the next two show a poppier, Beatles influenced side of the band. Limo Wreck is huge, as is The Day I Tried To Live. Both show Cornell in fine form. 4th Of July is lumbering and brutal, I love it. Wonderful album, probably the peak of the grunge era for me.

Muy muy bueno.

- first 10 seconds and i'm thinking this is so awesome - after 3 songs i'm a bit tired of it tho - reminds me so much for childhood and radio rock - i like mailman a lot - ok ya I know black hole sun, it's awesome

Never listened to more than two songs, this is really good. Impressive vocals, tracks tend to be strong, not a lot of filler.

Rock banger after rock banger!

Classic from my youth

At one time this was my favourite album. I'm no longer 19 unfortunately.

Don’t know how anyone on here is calling this bland when Soundgarden were objectively one of the most eclectic grunge bands. Will admit that this is too long and not for everyone but I’ve always loved this album.

Great for the first listen will listen to it more tho

Yeah Soundgarden, but the album is way too long for being an ultimate record. 4/5

Forgot how good these guys were. Cornell has an amazing voice. Fantastic record.

Grunge classic from the 90s. Cornell was such a powerhouse.

Chris Cornell’s voice is so powerful. Bummer he was gone too soon.

Surprisingly have never given these a proper chance, but this was class

Great album, reminds me of 4th year and for that 4 stars

A great albums for drinking loads of cans under a bridge when you're 16

Done

Let's be honest, the album is so much better than it might have been because of Chris Cornell. I love Fell on Black Days, some of the rest I could take or leave. I still thought that the album was worthwhile though

Two of the best SG songs

lll

Wasn't expecting to like this album but I really enjoyed songs such as, "Let Me Drown," "Mailman," and "Black Hole Sun" so far. "4th of July" is so good as well.

Woo

black hole sun!

Yeah, these guys rock. It goes on a bit long, but the sound and style is right up my street. And obvs Chris Cornell's vocals are amazing - RIP.

This record was really good. I hadn't listened to a Soundgarden record before this, but I have heard good things. I'm glad to report that it is indeed great. Favourite Track(s): Let Me Drown, Fell On Black Days, Black Hole Sun Least Favourite Track(s): My Wave

Some classics here. However, Soundgarden has been one of the bands from the grunge era that I never truly got into.

This album means a lot to me. I discovered it and Soundgarden late at night, years ago, as I laid in my ex boyfriends bed and stared and the ceiling contemplating my life. Chris cut through the fog of my own sadness and drew me into his own. He was already dead at this point, but, even still, his voice led me to my future. It is because of that night that I got out of that relationship and found myself. Favorite Song: Blackhole Sun

One of my favorite bands from the Grunge era. But sometimes the songs are a little too grunge.

8/10 At it's high points e.g. Spoonman, Black Hole Sun, etc. it is top quality. It's perhaps slightly too long, but overall very good.

Heavy and awesome

Brilliantly dense and melodically gorgeous at the same time.

Grunge like treacle

Never realized how much range is in this, sometimes I forgot I was still on the same record.

One of my teenage faves. There is so much depth in this music, really bears a lot of repeat listens. And it rocks.

Cool. Yeah, I have to admit if I was coming to this album cold for the first time it would probably be a 3. It’s funny, but I don’t think I would hear the very cool drum work or appreciate Cornell’s vocals if I didn’t know them already. I don’t think I like the way the guitars are placed in the mix. I think I find them too muddy. But there was a time when this album was everywhere. Crazy. I didn’t really listen to this album at the time. But it didn’t matter. It was everywhere. And Chris did have an amazing voice. And the drum work is there. You just got to listen. 4 stars. RIP Chris Cornell. You were quite a talent. So sad you’re gone. Boolean rating: yes! Glad to hear soundgarden again before I die.

Chris Cornell, what a voice. I'm really glad he ended up here and not in a glam metal band.

Liked My Wave, Fell On, Mailman, Superunknown, Black Hole, spoonman, tried to live. Mostly single-heavy first half that powers the album. Overall outweighs the weaker back end.

If this album was in a genre I didn't like, this would be a different review. They definitely decided to just riff waaaaaay too much. Too many songs were unnecessary. That said, the songs that hit really HIT. Love the vibe, and the good songs from this album are either already ones I'm familiar with or will be in the rotation.

Very nice. Easy listen.

Never really liked Soundgarden but this is a pretty solid album. If they cut out 2 or 3 songs dare I might say it might be perfect. It amazes me that this was mainstream at one point

Grunge. Jeg blir liksom ikke helt venn med sjangeren, men dette er bra. I overkant langt, men det er kanskje ikke noe problem når så å si alle låtene er kvalitet. Top 3: Fell On Black Days, Superunknown, 4th Of July

Yhhhh !!

Listened to this one on my Apple EarPods. Superunknown is an album I'm pretty familiar with, but mostly it's first half. And I have to say, wow, what a first half. It is just back to back dark and heavy tracks with interjections of slower pace like "Fell on Black Days" and "Head Down", before culminating in the total one-two punch of "Black Hole Sun" and "Spoonman", tracks that totally encompass each sphere of slow, dark, and depressing and bursting, heavy excitement respectively. Then the second half rolls around, and it's just...fine, for the most part. Even in past listens, I usually tap out at this point, as the tracks head in the opposite direction in terms of energy (less thrashy, more moody) and ideas start to feel not as compelling. Even the moment where they bring it back to my prefered feel of fast paced energy in "Kickstand" ends up sounding more to me like a B-side than a proper album cut, and similarly I didn't find the venture into the more experimental "Half" to be compelling, especially with how short it runs. It luckily ends on the strong note of "Like Suicide", but it overall feels very long in the tooth for what's on offer, stretching the whole thing out to an hour plus listen. Still, I feel remiss to rate this lower than a 4. A tolerable-at-worst second half cannot seriously decay what an electrifying and monumental first half is on offer here, with tracks I have listened to dozens of times over the years like "Spoonman", "Superunknown", and one of my personal favorite songs of all time, "My Wave". From tracks 1-8, Soundgarden is completely unstoppable, and with the power of technology, I can stop my playback there and run that sequence over and over til I'm sick to my stomach.

Apesar de ser um ótimo album, grande parte das músicas me fizeram sentir como se eu estivesse vendo um filme genérico de ação (ou Carros). Soundgarden é um nome importante pro rock e fica bem evidente em Superunknown, arranjos pesados mas bem feitos, Chris Cornell soube bem o que fazer com a voz. Tem uma diferença gritante do que supostamente seria o lado A para o que supostamente seria o B e meu gosto pessoal se afeiçoa mais pelo lado B. Não é meu favorito, mas também não desgosto. 4/5.

C’était super! ça donne de l’énergie

Great listen, one of the all timers of the genre. Chris Cornell we are not worthy

Liked this. Would happily listen to it again.

Soundgarden’s grunge masterpiece is a dark and heavy journey through psychedelic landscapes and massive riffs. Chris Cornell’s vocals are truly incredible, and while some of the deeper tracks feel a bit long, the album remains a defining high point of the nineties now.

Really wanted to give this a 5 but after 2-3 listens, just can’t do it. I really like the album but don’t love it. Some really good songs but just am not blown away like I hoped I would be.

black hole sun wont you cum wont you cuuum

amazing grunge album, better than Ten and In Utero ngl. Black Hole Sun and Spoonman are big earworms. 9/10. First Listening Tracklist Ranking: 1. Spoonman 2. Black Hole Sun 3. 4th of July 4. Like Suicide 5. Let Me Drown 6. Fell on Black Days 7. The Day I Tried To Live 8. My Wave 9. Superunknown 10. Fresh Tendrils 11. Limo Wreck 12. Head Down 13. Mailman 14. Kickstand 15. Half

Pretty great album overall, a fair few songs that I'd heard before and really liked. Held back slightly as I found the album dragged a little, some parts were somewhat repetitive and lost me. Wouldn't listen to the whole thing again but happy to revisit almost half of it.

Good, but too long for how good it is. Hope that makes sense.

This was good but not great, Black Hole Sun is definitely the highpoint. Some of the songs were a blend of slowcore and grunge that made the album drag on longer than I wanted (Superunknown, for eg). However, when this effect was working at it's best like on Head Down, it was such a nice ride. By the end, I could appreciate the creativity and technical soundness of the album, which earns it a 4.

it's a solid album. i knew the hits, but the non-single tunes are good too.

I love Soundgarden. Chris Cornell’s voice is so good. Great album, just a tad long for my tastes. 4.5/5

Äänipuutarha. It´s a grunge thing.

was stressed about this one but really enjoyed it did it get a bit much ido listen in one sitting to the whole album but still really good

Great record!

i'd like to tell you about my friend Ricky. he started attending my school in 9th grade, and we were inseparable. where i was withdrawn, he was affable, unfailingly polite to every adult, hugely smart - but also mercurial. prone to impulsivity, anger. he plunged headfirst into things that seemed dangerous - fairly tame drug use, hardcore shows - while i looked on from the edge. there was a darkness in him that made me more comfortable with my own, and we built a secret language out of art that seemed to draw something black out of being alive, everything from Peep Show to Cormac McCarthy to, yes, Superunknown. i don't know who heard this record first. it feels like it just appeared in our lives, uploaded into our brains. the first memory i have of it is playing through Drown Me In on the drums, riding out that eternal Zeppelin-groove, bouncing and sticking to the bassline, deeply fucking in it. the other memories are much more communal, and consist often of Chris Cornell impressions, growling and wailing and purring through these songs in our own weak falsettos. what struck me upon returning to this record, for the first time in over a decade, was the lines i remember singing. for example: "the day i tried to win, i wallowed in the blood and mud with all the other pigs" "down in the hole, jesus tries to crack a smile beneath another shovel load" "shame, shame, throw yourself away, give me little bits of more than i can take" writing these out, reading them back, well. it's not poetry. and maybe we just sung that line about the pigs back and forth to each other because Chris Cornell sounds cool as hell when he sings it. but what strikes me is the way these songs verbalize moving through struggle, which we were both kind of always doing at the time because that's what it feels like to be young, and how nakedly we related to those songs. there was no question about whether we, too, felt like we'd fallen on black days, because why would we listen to it if we hadn't. i guess what i'm trying to say is that there's a memory-Superunknown that i thought i'd try to avoid review before leaping into it entirely, one that lives mostly in the b-side, that is expansive and gothic and really full of pain. it doesn't have a lot to do with Spoonman, it certainly doesn't include My Wave (that song sucks!), it is a slow and lumbering thing walking across an eternal desert under enormous weight. it is (or, personally was) a way for me, and my friend, and many other people to access a real earnest kind of darkness that was already living in us anyway, and to be buoyed through it. i can't pretend i still love Superunknown, the real 15-track 70-minute album. the sprawl - part of the appeal at the time, i think - and its pseudo-classic-rock dumb guy riffs hold it back for my current tastes. but god, do i love the record that lives in my head, earnest, heavy, comforting. i hope that teenagers haven't grown too online and cool to let this be an access point to challenging feelings, a way to learn to smother them in downtuned guitar until they go away, a friend

I clearly wasn't on my musical 'A' game in '94 because with the exception of Black Hole Sun this passed me by. And it's excellent. Given the Zep influences peppered through most tracks (is Limo Wreck Dazed and Confused in disguise?) it feels a bit harsh to file it under grunge. It will definitely get brought out to annoy the fam again. And after just one listen that alone merits a 4*

Me gustaron las canciones mas tristes

Nice

pretty good 7/10

наверное уже классика гранжа, от не самых любимых представителей четверки, но есть хорошие песни в этом альбоме. в целом, думаю что альбом просто хороший. не на каждый день, но иногда в вайб попадает. думаю что это уверенная 4. просто хорошо

- my wave is such a good song, wow. - the instrumentals are amazing. - love superunknown - black hole sun, fell on black days, amazing classics

Great grunge album. Never listened to the whole thing before but really enjoyed it overall. Love hearing music I recognized before within an album I’ve never heard.

I knew the big hits from this album already, but I'd never listened to a whole Soundgarden album. Overall it was great, carrying the heavy and foreboding atmosphere throughout. Very stylistically coherent, I felt this is a great album

Gritty riffs, vocal harmonies and great hooks make this album one for the books!

Overall: 8/10 The best parts of this album are when it gets super slow and doomy, which honestly doesn't happen enough. I feel that way about Soundgarden's entire discography, quite honestly. Chris Cornell has one of the all time greatest voices in rock and Kim Thayil is such an underrated guitarist. I would say I actually prefer Badmotorfinger, but this album is close to being as great. Fav Song: The Day I Tried to Live

Still rocks hard. Always good to hear it. Also fun to see what stands the test of time with the youngsters - my daughter also gave it a stamp of approval.

Soundgarden were always a bit too far on the metal side of the Seattle scene to begin with, but this album did begin to change all that. But still, my only minor problem is Chris Cornell's vocals, I cant help but think of old expression which I have slightly adapted to sum up my feelings; 'You can take the metal out of the music, but you can't take the metal out the man'. That said, 'Black Hole Sun' is still their finest moment.

Super grunge album and one of the best rock voices ever. Maybe not top to bottom my favorite but so many gems

Tiene varios temazos, ya conocidos, pero el resto de canciones son meh, y de relleno. Sin embargo, buen album

Gosto bastante Destaques: My Wave, Fell on Black Days, Head Down, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman

Kurt Cobain liked Soundgarden so much that he wanted to join as their bassist. Pretty crazy, right? Disclaimers all around that it’s never been fully verified as 100% true or not, but he was definitely a fan. And listening to Superunknown, it makes sense. For a grunge band, Soundgarden are surprisingly accessible. They’re heavy without being messy, melodic without losing the grittiness. Even when the songs seem straightforward, there are interesting things happening to make the bright melodies seem a little unsettling. The chords don’t resolve the way you expect. The rhythms get weird. The guitars tune down to emphasise their darkness. “Black Hole Sun” is the perfect example of that. Firstly, it’s one of the greatest songs ever written. It's just perfect in every way. The bass line undercuts the bright phased guitar of the verse, while the chords move to unexpected places. Cornell’s almost detached vocals are controlled and calm (until the end), while strange time signatures unsettle you. And those perfect lyrics paint an almost dystopian picture: “Black hole sun, won't you come and wash away the rain?” The music video leans into this too. Evoking David Lynch, it visualises the unnerving weirdness of “picket-fence perfection” in suburban domestic living. The rest of the album never quite hits the same heights of “Black Hole Sun”, but how could it? That said, there’s still loads to like here. The riffs are great, Cornell's voice is amazing, and there’s a depth to the songwriting that keeps it from ever feeling like just another grunge record. It just happens to contain one of the best songs ever written, which is a bit unfair on the rest of it.

One of the last truly great grunge albums.

When it comes to ’90s grunge, I prefer the grittier sound of Nirvana. That being said, Chris Cornell’s vocals are outstanding here, offering a compelling departure from the rawness of Nirvana and highlighting the variety present in grunge . Most tracks here are strong, with Black Hole Sun being an iconic song of the era.

Fantastic grunge album.

Hell yea

Solid 3.5 album that's knocked up to a 4 for nostalgia - Soundgarden were a big part of my youth, and this album was on very heavy rotation for a very long time - was good to revisit it

This was good and I enjoyed it.

Very good rock album with a bit of a nostalgia factor for me. Spoonman was by far the most fun drum song on Rockband.

Rating: 9/10 One of the titans of grunge that needs no introduction. Really seeping in this masculine dark, brooding, drugged out vibe, the production hits hard, the guitar tone is absolutely perfect, and it's a stellar run of tracks from beginning to end. Not a personal top favorite but an excellent 90's album

Pretty sick. Great characteristic sound, just a solid album that MIGHT have went on a little too long. All rise for the radio alt rock anthem: Black Hole Sun after half an album of thematic prep really hit, and the rest of the album was also pretty good 7.2/10

Listen to a lot of the tracks from this pretty regularly but been a while since I listened through the whole thing. Its really good, it has a pretty distinct grimy heaviness throughout which is very enjoyable. And Chris Cornell obviously has a pretty phenomenal voice. You've got some pretty amazing tracks on here, "Black Hole Sun" is a certified classic, "Spoonman" is great fun, Cornell's vocals in that are particularly good. And then "Let Me Drown", "Fell on Black Days", "Superunknown", and "4th of July" are all excellent as well. Tough decision on the star rating, it feels better than a 4 but I think it slightly overstays its welcome so I'm not sure I can give it a 5.

We have one of the Grunge Big 4 today. I have to admit this one is my least favourite out of big 4, however this is still a grunge masterpiece. Already rated at 4.5/5.0 on RYM so could go either way here. Not sure if deserving 5 stars, but 4 also seems a bit too low for this one.

Good energy and we know that’s what I love, 3.5 rounded up

Good album. At moments a bit too much metal infects the grunge but it’s saved by the singers voice and the Melodeys.

Classic rock album. Some great tunes (black hole sun, black days, spoonman etc), Chris Cornell has a classic rock voice really catchy melodies and riffs. Pretty high up there on the grunge album tiers. But with all that I’ve just never been that into it, never really want to go back and listen more.

Banger album banger singer

Very good classic grunge sound. Some classic hits on this album

Black Hole Sun

Just a slapper

All butt rock vocalists use these vocals as the blueprint. Crazy drums and riffs on top of everything. I recognize more of these tracks after the first minute than I realized I would. Fell on Black Days, Head Down, Spoonman….what’s not to love!! 4/5

First time really listening to Soundgarden, and I enjoyed it! Chris Cornell's voice is certainly powerful, and he has tremendous control over it. There are many cool riffs in here, and Soundgarden does a great job at getting so much heaviness across in these songs. It's first half is definitely stronger than the second, but there are admirable moments throughout this album. Favorites: Let Me Drown, Superunknown, Head Down, Black Hole Sun, Fresh Tendrils

Ah delicious stupid 90s rock you can definitely hear the shadow of nirvana on this. I definitely didn't like these guys when I heard them the first time around. But now it's kind of fun and nostalgic

This makes me want to wear flannel. I had totally forgotten about Spoonman!! 🥄 Black hole sun has been stuck in my head all weekend.

Bringing the rock, 90s style.

Amazing! Reminded of Foo Fighters

Found out I actually do like grunge

"Like Suicide" is what we call foreshadowing

Great album

always a classic, not my favorite of the grunge era but I still like when their stuff pops up in a playlist or out at a bar somewhere

The hits stand the test of time. This is just good clean 90s grunge rock. RIP Chris Cornell

i liked it a fair bit, just about not too heavy

My Wave Fell on Black Days Black Hole Sun Spoonman

Fuq yea spoonman

I liked this more than I expected too. This album is like a Coors Light. Pretty generic and I wouldn't describe it as something totally within my normal tastes, but served cold at the right time it's pretty damn good! Chris Cornell's voice and energy definitely give this an edge. Despite it being a few songs too long, I enjoyed listening to this loud on my drive home from work. This album definitely has a place.

I like almost every song on this album. I just don't want to listen to them all in a row. For whatever reason I can only deal with 2-3 Soundgarden songs in a sitting.

Good stuff 4

Not bad but they will never be my band. I don’t know what I dont like but it’s definitely something.

Dad's rock pretty much

Wild Monday pull! Always knew Soundgarden's hits but never listened to a full album until now. Its very enjoyable! The hits still hit and the songs in between don't drag the rest of album down (as is too often the case). However it is a long album and does drag a bit towards the end, but not enough that it totally ruins the experience. 3.5/5 that I have no problem rounding up to a 4/5. I've definitely heard worse on a Monday.

Some classics here. His voice is incredible

Second half post black hole sun is better

Excelente

Really great. Doesnt feel as long as it is, packed with great songs.

Solid album

Good! Low to mid 4 for me. The first half starts out strong, but it does drag a bit more in the latter half. It's 70 minutes but feels like it could be 45 or 50. Still good, I love the riffs, love the songwriting, love the vocals.

This is a great album - not quite a 5 for me for 4 for sure

Never listened to Soundgarden outside of the bigger tracks. Definitely more on the "-Rock" end of "Grunge-Rock", almost Sabbath-esque in places. Pretty good, but I'm not regretting sleeping on them for thirty years.

One of the best grunge albums.

- very fun and dynamic guitar playing in Let Me Drown. Songwriting has great tension build up, unexpected shifts in tone without feeling too discordant. - vocals VERY 90s ROCK, but avoids sounding overly cheesy. Just enough to give it some unique quality and sound without being forced. Really adds a lot of energy to the album, makes each composition a lot more engaging to listen to. Really varied as well! Pleasant surprise, not usually a fan of the forward and strained sound a lot of bands adopted during this period (hello Nickelback). - really love the mixing on Spoonman! Mixing and layering has been fuckin surgical the whole album, but the stereo effect on headphones really accentuates the details and little touches! Insanely cool. - 90s rock not my usual ballpark, but pretty enjoyable! Some fun riffs, very good mixing, and what feels like a distillation of the era's grunge, with a better execution for most of the genre's tropes (which I'm not usually a fan of).

BLACK HOLE SUN

A great album

Chris Cornell had the greatest vocals in grunge and I won’t be taking questions on that

Too bad half is on here.

the guy had lots to say but I was doing something else in the meanwhile so I missed that. can easily say it makes good background music at least

Superunknown by Soundgarden was released 1994, their fourth studio album. It's a classic in the grunge genre. I've heard most of these songs before as the album was very quickly a global success soon after release. The songs "Black Hole Sun," "Fell on Black Days," "The Day I Tried To Live," and "Let Me Drown," are probably the most well known that people might know already. And if not, are definitely the four I would recommend most for someone to listen to. There's some fun backstories for a few of the songs like "Black Hole Sun," was written in roughly 40 minutes while not fully listening to the news, taking a few overheard words and then building the lyrics as a stream of conciousness. The song was intended to create a surreal dreamscape atmosphere as such, the lyrics are nonsense. They wanted it to sound like it meant something but it doesn't. I didn't have the time today to go through of the day critiques, retrospectives, and lyrics as I listen like I normally do. Having heard most of these songs means I didn't feel like I was losing too much by not going through that stuff like I had been up until now. Instead I listened to the album as I did some chores like grocery shopping. I quite like the album's atmosphere it builds throughout itself. "The Day I Tried to Live," and "Let Me Drown," are the songs that I'd say resonated with me the most, lyrically. All that to say, I quite enjoyed the album.

I saw Soundgarden play here in Portland, ME on Halloween night 1989, at the Tree Cafe...but no one knew who they were yet at that time. I was there to see my friend's band, Lars Vegas, who was opening for them. Crazy. Superunknown is a great album...I used to listen to it quite a lot when it came out, and of course Chris Cornell had an amazing voice.

Too long, but manages to be both heavy and tuneful. I wouldn't call this grunge--to me, it's just a 90s version of hard rock--not that it matters.

Okay… okay! This had way more layers and sounds than I was expecting. Based on the singles from this album, I figured it was going to be more of a straightforward rock album than what I ended up hearing. A lot of different instrumentation, time signature play, and sounds that really felt like they were taking me to another place. Chris’s vocals are great on here. Feels a little long, but most albums from the 90s feel long to me. I probably would have cut a few tracks from the end, but this is really good and I’d be happy to listen to it again.

Still great after some many years

I could probably have done with a *little* less sound in the garden… but I don’t have any specific tracks I’d tell them to cut, so I guess who am I to complain. It’s not like I actively disliked any of the 75 minute runtime… anyway. Waffled between 3-4 stars but I’m feeling generous and the vocals are really something here

Final thoughts: a very well-made, well-produced, well-played album that is waaaaay too long and it all kinda blends together in a way that isn’t the most enjoyable at the end of the day. Incredible for the most part, it’s just that albums like this are a complete slog. A good double album is a sprawling manifesto, and should serve a purpose. This is… quite good, but does not do that. There are many great songs on here (let me drown, mailman, superunknown, black hole sun, spoonman, limo wreck, the day I tried to live, etc.), but it never amounts to an experience that isn’t at best a lil bit tiring. Great but with a heavy asterisk. 8.5/10

Cornell was such a powerhouse and the other guys showed up too

One of my favorite rock vocalists. So many great songs on this album

i liked the guitar, the rest was alright

Amazing classic grunge album, loved the flow throughout, very emotional. BHS all time slow banger.

very good rock album. I feel like soundgarden has an edge over other rock bands and doesn't fall into the generic. Black hole sun and spoonman where my favorite.

4/5 Very good album. No notes.

A great heavy sound, with original writing. Black Hole Sun is a total hit, and so is The Day I Tried to Live.

Classic '90's grunge/rock album.

NICE ALBUM, real rock, Not to heavy but really good to listen. I loved it

Seaaaaaatle

Solid album, vocals are outstanding, some great guitar riffs

Favorite songs: My Wave, Fell On Black Days, Superunknown, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman

Craig: good Courtney: a cheat because I already liked the album but still good.

Really good grunge record, and part of my youth Chris Cornell had an amazing voice, and some real demons.

Very much ROCK. I remember these guys and some of these songs. I would own this record. I think it would be a good jam record.

Far rockier than I remember really enjoyed it, Black Hole song is a great tune can't believe it's 32 years old

Rimelig mørkt og psykdelic, spiller åbenbart i sjove takter så det lyder lidt skørt, men det var ikke engang noget de tænkte over da de indspillede ffør de var færdige åbenbart. Det er sgu et rigtig godt album ikke så meget at sige, det er deres magnum opus og har stadig sådan alternativ metal over sig. Man kan også høre det er grunget men stadig poppet til en vis grad. i hvert fald nogle af sangene. Det er paranoia og selvhad på det højeste, så hvis man er der og kan relatere til det er det super. Jeg synes det lyder rigtig godt, men kan også mærke at grunge måske er noget som kommer til at falde af på mig med tiden.

Powerful.

Yeah mang

Already Listened to this Years ago. My favourite Soundgarden record. Steps away from the Alt-metal, for a more expansive and eclectic rock landscape. Although, I rarely go back to this album due to its excessive length.

My Dad would loveeee this but I also really like it. What I would classify as rock. Heavy raspy voice but not in an annoying way. All the songs kinda blended together I'm not sure they had much differentiating factors but also I'm not sitting down to solely listen so that's prob on me

7/10 Favorite: Black Hole Sun

For some reason I didn't think that I would like this album but I was incorrect - it's actually very good. I knew and like "Spoonman", and "Black Hole Sun" but never really paid attention who the band was that performed these songs.

Loved this one in my youth, kinda fell off it for a while but now we're so back babyyyy. The oppressive sludgyness of this needs to be studied. Chris Cornell is always a treat to listen to. Lost me a bit after The Day I Tried To Live but it take away from the great moments earlier

Liked it. Think I need to revisit grunge.

Really enjoyed this record, a lot of interesting stuff going on musically, odd meter and chord progressions, great songwriting, some heavy stuff. Gotta dig into Soundgarden more.

Junto com Dirt do Alice in Chains, esse é o ápice do grunge! Chris tem a voz de um anjo com as asas sujas de petróleo! Várias músicas icônicas, mas 4th of July é, sem dúvida alguma, o ponto alto do álbum.

1: Fell On Black Days 2: Blackhole Sun 3: Mailman

I liked Black Hole Sun back when this came out and knew a couple of the other songs too but never listened to this or any Soundgarden album in full. Fell On Black Days and My Wave were great but several of the songs pushed up towards the five minute mark and outstayed their welcome. I'll give it a low 4 because it's a good alternative rock record and some days that's enough.

This gets 4 stars due to the first half of the record. I could do without the lower tempo tracks, but the psychedelic aspects to this grunge record help it stand out above the rest. I'm also typically not a big fan of "showy" vocals, but Chris Cornell hard to deny on his performances here. "Black Hole Sun" itself is massively overrated and exists alongside other 90s singles that were/are popular but straggle behind the other songs on the album (see also: Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box" and Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm").

Initially was not looking forward to listening to this album. Not because I have anything against Soundgarden, but because, like many millennials, I listened to 90s grunge/alt so much in my teens and twenties that I kinda got sick of it. By the time "My Wave" finished I was back in it. Didn't realize how many hits came from this album. 7/10

Longest album so far. I was waiting to see this album, always a great listen.

There were a few songs I already knew from the radio, and those tracks are pretty solid. Overall though, the album didn’t really impress me as much as I expected. Some of the songs feel heavy and drawn out, and not all of them held my interest. That said, Chris Cornell is one hell of a singer. His voice is powerful and easily the standout part of the album. Even when the songs didn’t click for me, his vocals were hard to ignore.

rock solid.

I was really excited for this one ! Soundgarden are a staple of the grunge genre, and Chris Cornell is incredible. Fav song is ‘Black Hole Sun’.

veri kewl

Black Hole Sun is definitely on my top 10 all time songs.

Lots of classics on here, but nothing that felt like a hidden gem

very good album, tad long, but some really great grunge

Was surprised to know some of the songs on this album. Very much the sort of music I listened to when I was younger, not sure if I would listen again, but I had a nice time listening now. I really liked his voice and felt there was a nice variation across the album. Fave song: Black Hole Sun Least fav: Mailman

Black hole sun is fantastic and the rest of the songs are decent too. 1hr 10 min is too long for an album to be though. Specific rating - 4.2 Fav song - black hole sun Least fav- 4th of July

This album contains the best spoon solo I've ever heard. Really enjoyed this. Even though it's a bit too long. Chris Cornell's voice is one of the best in rock music, so emotive and rough and yet so beautiful. I also enjoy a bit of audio slave, so this was a Great listen.

Good album, love Chris's voice

Very energetic and fun, I liked it. Again, songs are kinda the same. I didn't catch any text but the voice suits the songs well. I think I liked "Limo Wreck" the most. "Half" is very pretty and "Spoonman" is catchy. Would listen again probably.

This was a flashback for me, as I owned this album. Hearing Chris Cornell belting and wailing over uneven rhythms and guitar brought back old feelings of disaffectedness and disillusion post-college. I still found myself singing along to Black Hole Sun, Fell on Black Days and Spoonman, but I imagine I played those on repeat back then, because some tracks were just hard to appreciate, like 4th of July.

CRIS Cornell pura vida .

Some of the best grunge of all time, slightly bloated track list, great blend of different genres and sounds

Grunge'i ajastu üks esikalbumeid. Plaadil on ka suuri hitte, mis on mainstreami läinud, aga ülejäänud kraami kannatab ka kuulata (ainult vahepeal vajub tähelepanu ära). Chris Cornelli vokaal ja kõik need Drop-D käigud (vahepeal isegi Drop-C käigud, mis meenutavad Hadese muusikat) on legendaarsed ja väärivad oma kohta siin nimekirjas. 4.2/5

chris you’re missed. the vocals and the instrumental? are we for real? overall: 4.5/5 favourite tracks: mailman, black hole sun, limo wreck, the day i tried to live, 4th of july least favourite tracks: head down, kickstand, half

Lwk I’d listen to a few songs again

heavier rock with a clean, sophisticated tone, really neat! top fav: my wave!!! some really cool meter and instrumental choices. definitely can tell with this album how this band evolved and matured their sound.

Overall great rough sound, perfect for dealing with the Monday vibes. Tends to overstay its welcome, though.

Unfortunately being released in the 90's means this album is a bit too long for it's own good. But god was Chris Cornell an incredible singer and songwriter. A tragic loss. 4 Stars, will be coming back to.

- Ao invés de se basearem no art e noise rock como as outras bandas de grunge, se aproximam muito do metal (doom/djent/thrash). Eu acho interessante que o primeiro selo deles era um selo de hardcore (SST). - Sonicamente a produção se afasta do grunge que tem vazamento e bastante reverb, mas não é pesado como o metal. Parece mais pop, com batidas fortes e secas. O vocal tem uma qualidade meio de blues e R&B.

Some nice hard rock sonic songs on thus one.

solide 44444444 FOUR le mec otp jhin

du bon rock alternatif ça fait plaise

Songs 10/15 Very good album. Has some of soundgardens top hits with black hole sun and spoonman. One of the top hard rock/grunge albums of all time

This album feels like a perfect depiction of David Bowie‘s classic sound with range from more poetic rock to the ending where it was mostly instrumental session. If somebody were to ask what David Bowie’s music was like this would be the album. I would probably show them first.

If I could give this negative stars I would

5 stars just for including blackholesun

Klassisk 90s grunge.

I went into this album wanting to like it, as I've always found Chris Cornell (RIP) a very talented singer and while I'm not that familiar with Soundgarden's albums, I've liked everything I've heard from them so far. Initially, I must say I didn't like it as much as I hoped. While lyrically the album is very strong, my first impression of the music on some of the tracks was a bit underwhelming. However, as I kept listening to this, the more I began to enjoy it, and by the time I finished the album I actually really liked the songs on it. I'm willing to guess that this album will grow on me a lot if I give it some time. 3.75/5

On a first time listen, it struck me how much of this album diffused into future rock albums from different bands; this may be why this album is catching accusations of sounding generic. One example of this is the harmonized vocals on "Head Down" sounding very similar to what System of a Down was doing on their Hypnotize/Mezmerize album. (Also, did anyone else notice how the melody of "Black Hole Sun" sounds REALLY similar to "Wicked Little Town" from Hedwig? I'd always thought that musical was purely inspired by Bowie but clearly there is Soundgarden influence as well!) They're also doing interesting things with time signatures in these songs, which could go unnoticed since it's more subdued that the flamboyant time signature switch-ups of bands like Tool or SOAD. Impressive vocal range from Chris Cornell. I love the falsetto on "She Likes Surprises" right before the breakdown. Great guitar riffs throughout. I love the creepy descending riff on "The Day I Tried to Live". "Spoonman" is the song I'd heard before and I still like it just as much. It hits a happy medium of being heavy and interestingly structured while still being a perfect candidate for radio play. I do feel like the album is too long and a bit exhausting for a single session. I started running out of energy at "Kickstand", and the back half of the album started to feel lethargic (other than "Half" coming out of left-field with its Bollywood sound). Breaking the album up into multiple sessions would probably allow you to appreciate the later songs more.

sounds like just ANY straight white male could do it but it's ok just nothing in particular stands out

When I saw Superunknown come up today, I thought it might be my first five on here. I love most of the singles on this album (I would have said all, until learned My Wave was a single). Chris Cornell and Matt Cameron deliver standout performances throughout. Unfortunately, I found the songs to be a little hit or miss. Nothing was terrible but I found myself getting bored several times. Given there are several grunge albums on this list that I think might be "no skips" for me, I don't think I can hand out the five to this one. Very strong 4.

Really like the riffs on this one

fire rock

Pretty much the standard of its time, interesting to hear the influences it led to. Very Radiohead sounding in places

Another day where I can't quite break down each song, and so have just been riding the vibes with this one today. Bias definitely here, as Grunge is one of my favourite genres, with it's angry fuzzy guitars, heavy bass and screeching lyrics. All the reasons for most to hate the genre, but I've always loved how raw the emotion has felt in Grunge. Whilst I am familiar with some of their songs (Black Hole Sun and Fell on Black Days ofc), I haven't ever listened to the entire album. The most standout tracks for me were "Let Me Down", "Mailman", "Head Down", "The Day I tried to Live" and "Flesh Tendrils".

Soubdgarden was one ofnthe few Grunge bands that 16-year-old me wasn't a huge fan of, because I preferred the growly vocals of bands like Pearljam, Alice in Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. But, 16-year-old me was kind of dumb sometimes. The only thing that keeps this from 5 star range is that it's a little overstuffed and a few songs feel like filler.

Ridiiiiiinnnnggggggg you all the way

'Damn the water, burn the wine / I'm going home for the last time.' Grunge is heavy and often cheesy, but at its best, it's also 'real,' however you'd like to disentangle that adjective. It was at its best and its most real w/ Nirvana and Soundgarden, never w/ Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains, or Screaming Trees. Importantly, it's 'real' but not necessarily an exponent of realism: it comes from the marrows of the human condition, it's guttural and lousy, it's spit-up and scummy lunchmeat. It's real b/c you fucking feel it, even if want to get the fuck away from it: 'Hello, don't you know me? / I'm the dirt beneath your feet.' I don't think Chris Cornell was the voice of a generation as Kurt was, but in his relentless darkness, you're pillared: 'Head high, head high.'

Kim Thayil's guitar is just the right mix of support and lead. Love the work on Limo Wreck. Chris Cornell - what an iconic voice. This era of music has some of the best vocalists.

Largely awesome, even if perhaps grating at times. Landmark album. 4.2

Great album!!

Same album with "Blackhole Sun". The rest of the album holds up to the song. Super solid harder rock and a solid album.

8/10

This was great.

Iconic sound and timeless hits. Kickstand and 4th of July on the back half were a little lackluster to me, but there's plenty to enjoy on this record.

These guys certainly know what they're about. Heavy and dramatic throughout, album only drags a little on Mailman and Spoonman

Another album from my depressed teen years. While I was worried that this album would also get worse on an actual relisten, like The White Stripes did, I gotta say it absolutely holds up. Grunge vs Blues Revival for life apparently. This one however is leagues better lyrically than the other and very solid musically. Specifically there is so much more variety and depth present. While some are creatively nonsesical, and most are extremely depressed, there's more to the lyrics than just depression there's thoughts on greed, war, patriotism and a bit of gender going on. Literally a whole song singing about riding the mailman. The only issue is that lyrically and tonally its pretty much 'nothing but rock' and it can get pretty grating after awhile, and the highest points on the album is when they try something new. Overall really great album and clearly immensely influential on modern rock, that holds up entirely today.

Classic of the genre. To be cliche, they don’t make them like this anymore.

Genialitet i gränslandet mellan trad metal och grunge. Utan dem inget Pearl Jam, inget Nirvana. Men detta är fjärde skivan; inte den bästa. En stark fyra.

Hooks and heft. Superunknown delivers a breadth of sounds found on few records. With 60’s psychedelic influences, carried by Cameron’s drumming and experimental and varied time signatures, wonderfully odd bass and guitar riffs, Soundgarden delivered something new. Yet, the hooks and Cameron’s languid phrasing make the music, especially the singles, easily accessible. Released a time when even fans were growing tired of grunge and bands were trying to shed the label, it is a shame that this album received the label because it belies the complexity of this record. Superunknown is great rock and roll.

This was the first album I've listened again as something told me I should give it another go. I've heard it before and like most other American rock on here just found it... a bit boring. But having to listen in two halves helped. For some reason the half after Black Hole Sun (which is great) clicked a bit more for me, with Kickstand, Fresh Tendrils and 4th of July all standing out. I listened again and I'm still not a massive fan of everything including Cornell's voice on this album - even though I like Audioslave or the dirginess of that 90s American rock sound, but it's a strong album.

Pretty rocking. Very 90s.

4 My dad’s a big Soundgarden and Chris Cornell fan, so their music has been with me for most of my life, but I can’t say that I’ve ever actually given this full album a listen until now. Truth is, I hold a lot of respect for the band and quite enjoy a few of their songs, but they’ve never been one of my personal favorites, even within the context of ‘90s grunge (I’m a bit more of a Nirvana and Alice in Chains guy, but I’ll give SG the edge over Pearl Jam). To take it a step further, I’m a bit sick of the group’s radio hits, and while it’s certainly impressive how many are contained here, I didn’t find myself overly excited to listen to them again here. Fortunately, this album is deep cuts galore. It’s hard to say how much of my opinion is chalked up to recency bias or just being jaded with the stuff I knew, but I’m telling you right now, I think Mailman, Head Down, Limo Wreck, and 4th of July are all WAY better songs than Black Hole Sun, Fell on Black Days, or Spoonman. Hell, I would even go as far as to say that 4th of July may very well now be my all-time favorite Soundgarden song - I love how gritty it is despite being about seeing a lot of vibrant colors while on LSD. That said, while not favorites, I can’t say that I was too annoyed hearing the hits within the context of this album, and reading up on them gave me new appreciation for Spoonman in particular. Turns out, Spoonman (short for Artis the Spoonman) is a real dude, famous for playing spoons as musical instruments in streets of Seattle (something I think he still might do today?) If you listen closely, you can hear him play said spoons on the track. However, among the five singles, the real heavy hitters are ironically the least streamed ones, The Day I Tried to Live and My Wave. The Day I Tried to Live is probably the one song I remember my dad playing the most off this album (that and Superunknown), and seeing it performed live with members of Soundgarden and Nirvana at the Taylor Hawkins Tribute Show in Los Angeles helped me develop a new appreciation for it - Taylor certainly wasn’t the only one on the mind in that moment. As for My Wave, I’ll always think of an essay I wrote in like 9th or 10th grade regarding a song that defines us. It probably wouldn’t be my pick if I were given that assignment now (All My Friends by LCD Soundsystem is the first that comes to mind), but I also can’t say the “keep negative vibes out” sentiment has changed much about me. Overall, this is an excellent album through and through, though a touch long - I honestly think you could cut Kickstand, Fresh Tendrils, and Half without losing much. And something I want to touch on but don’t want to dwell on was how dark this album is. I never took Soundgarden as a particularly depressing group, but there’s not a ton of positive energy to be found here, which sort of provides new context for songs like Black Hole Sun and Fell on Black Days in retrospect. That wasn’t something I disliked per se, but given all that’s passed, it evokes certain feelings. But that’s not what this should be remembered for - It should be remembered for great music and unparalleled talent. I picked up a framed photograph of Chris from a booth at NOFX’s final show last year for my dad (shoutout to Punk Rock & Paintbrushes and Steve Thrasher), and I think the accompanying description put it in the best, most succinct way possible: “There will never be another like him.” No, there certainly won’t.

Great album. Soundgarden are probably toward the higher end of the heaviness scale for music I'm able to enjoy listening to, but there's enough of a focus on melodies and structure here to keep me engaged. It's maybe a little on the long side; a couple of the weaker tracks like Fresh Tendrils and Half could maybe have been cut to make the album tighter, but it doesn't detract from the experience that much. Favourite tracks: The Day I Tried to Live, Black Hole Sun, Superunknown

Very good! This rocks, has that skunk anansie/anouk/incubus sound but better. Of course great singing

🥄🥄🥄 ♂️♂️♂️

(82/100)

This album is where metal and grunge collide. A raw testament to this heavy band and Cornell's unmistakable voice.

Soundgarden coaxes a space where pop, rock, punk, and metal can co-exist. That’s one way of describing grunge, I guess. Tuneful songs and Chris Cornell’s voice make it all cohere.

Another classic from my high school days that I never owned or listened to all the way through. I respected Soundgarden but never too into them. Black Hole Sun was constantly on the radio for years and pretty annoying. I get it a lot more now. A lot of really brilliant music on here and less sludge than I was expecting. My Wave, which I haven't heard in forever, is absolutely on point and should have been a huge hit. In honor of that song being in 5/4 time I will award this 4/5 stars.

Actually enjoyed this.

Awesome album

Had no idea that these guys were the ones that did Black Hole Sun, but a lot of really cool sounds and songs on here, really enjoyed. Would round up to a 4.5 if I could but there could have been a little more like ingenuity throughout that I think would have bumped it up.

Really fuckin good

good album, good band

Great album! What a powerhouse voice from Chris Cornell, he is still very much missed. Highlights: "Black Hole Sun", "Spoonman" and "The Day I Tried to Live"

I hate the song black hole sun. Still this is a good album.

Holds up!

Second experience with grunge. I really like the sound of this album. I overall prefer this over Nevermind by Nirvana (my first grunge experience) but that could be becasue of recency bias as well. Some songs do feel like it drags on a bit without changing much, so I would overall rate it like a 3.5/10

hmm so before this, the only soundgarden song i listened to was black hole sun. and so far the vibe is actually different from that song, which is surprising to me i mean i still like it, its my kinda rock [mac demarco reference?!?!] halfway mark, i rlly like it so far, only gripe for a few parts is that they drag on for too long overall, great album, but i would rather listen to their contemporaries, like nirvana [most of the time].

Discazo que me llevo de nuevo a mis queridos 90s

Classic grunge!!

Just a solid album from start to finish. Interesting how melodic Black Hole Sun is compared to the other songs.

Lumped in with grunge, but this band were like the smart kid in class who just keeps quiet. Songs that twist and turn, sludgy stoner rock riffs, face-melter solos, insane vocal acrobatics and yet they don't forget the big choruses that will hook you in. Could it have done with a bit of editing? Yes, but this was in the era of lading as much as you could on a CD. So many bands and groups fell into this trap. Best Tracks: Fell on Black Days; Black Hole Sun; Spoonman

Good but effin' long

Wowwweeeeee! Chris Cornell has an incredible voice, I was thoroughly impressed. I’m not usually a fan of grunge because the vocals aren’t usually up my alley, but this was a great redemption of the genre for me. Great instrumentation!

Won't You Come And Wash Away The Rain? 1001 Albums Generator 168 (11/24/2025) Superunknown and Badmotorfinger are the albums that Soundgarden fans argue about being their best. I am personally partial to Superunknown. As great as hits like Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, and Fell On Black Days are, the quality of an album this long is determined by the quality of its deep cuts. And man, this album has some amazing deep cuts. Let Me Drown is this heavy, alt metal piece with great guitar and My Wave has these great verses in 5/4. Oh yeah, these guys love their odd time signatures. That bridge riff of Black Hole Sun in 9/8 and Limo Wreck, in 15/8, are two of my favorites. Apparently they would just write riffs and then find out the time signature later when they were recording it, which is why it always sounds so natural. Anyway, I have seen some people say this album falls off in the second half, but I think that's just fatigue talking. The run from the criminally underrated Fresh Tendrils to the devastating Like Suicide is amazing. 4th of July in particular has always been a favorite of mine. With all this said, there are a few songs that I don't really like sprinkled throughout the tracklist, so I have to call this a 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4. Favs: Fell On Black Days Spoonman 4th Of July Least Fav: Head Down

Solid album, a few songs that aren't great but mostly really good.

If you ask me about the best voice ever in rock music, my answer will vary depending on the day and my mood. On some days I will tell you it’s Chris Cornell. There are a couple of tracks on this album that could have been left out, but most of it is brilliant. Love it! 4/5

Such a great album. Unreal vocals from Chris Cornell. One of my original CDs, my early collection from Columbia House.

wow, Chris Cornell is amazing

Crunchy and glorious

Banging rock album. Fave track: Black Hole Sun (a given)

I didn't expect to like this that much, but it's very diverse and innovative. A very unique sound.

Superunknown if you just kept the 9 best songs. Let Me Drown Fell on black days Super unknown Black hole Sun Spoonman Limo wreck The day I tried to live 4th of July Like suicide Running time: 46:20 This version gets 5 stars easily. Sometimes less is more.

Strong 4

CD's era with 70+ minutes albums when probably a 50 minutes album would be better. Soundgarden is a special band, but sometimes less is more. No one sings like Chris anymore

Great, but too long. Favorite song: the day I tried to live

I like Stephen Malkmus, who is currently playing an SG because of Kim Thayall. Apart from one or two songs, I'd never listened to the band. It's a bit grungy for my liking. The singing is strong and the guitar work is clever, but a bit too Seattle... A decent outing, that I possibly would have been more into if my teen years had gone differently. Not inspired to buy that guitar yet... 4 star.

Black hole sun

Low 4? Lots of odd time signatures and some solid drum parts, strong ending

first listen super cool

It's alright it is a product of its era.

4.5

Finally, back to some good fucking music. This particular album seems to stand out a bit when poring through the grunge "chapter" of rock 'n' roll. Particularly the distortive, almost psychedelic-like sounds produced here in what is primarily a grunge/hard rock album. Not to mention the plethora of other unorthodox composition choices all throughout, such as alternate tunings and tune signatures. I'm no music expert, but these were certainly noticeable to my ears when listening. Chris Cornell was a compelling lead man, with his gruff voice mixing well with the heaviness of it all. An ambitious and lengthy album, but a grunge staple for sure. Some of the more iconic singles from this era too.

Good

Really solid album with a number of really great songs. Chris Cornell is a legend and he is at peak on this one. More than a 4 but not a 5.

This rips. 4/5

toi album cover on niiin cool. tykkäsin ihan sikana just täydellistä meluisaa rokkia. ehkä vähän pitkä albumi (mun keskittymiskyky tykkää napakoista 40min albumeista) mut saa extra pojoja kans nostalgiasta koska tunnistan biisejä lapsuudesta kun autossa soi aina radio rock :P mut just sellasta musiikkia mistä oon nauttinu viimeaikoina ja ihanasti hiljentää kaikki (kielteiset) ajatukset päästä! varmasti kuuntelen lisää et tarkentuu viel lempparibiisit erikseen mut kokonaisuutena kyl tosi jeps.

Chris Cornell's voice is just raw and powerful, it honestly makes me appreciate rock music even more. I enjoyed the second half of Superunknown. It’s also mixed way cleaner than Nevermind, in my opinion. But if those two albums were to fight to the death, Nevermind would still win by a close margin. It’s got no-skip tracks and a much better flow overall. Favorite tracks: Let Me Drown, I Tried To Live, Like Suicide

I sometimes fantasize that I could go back in time to the 90s and offer some great artists a word of advice: "You don't have to fill up the entire CD. Aim for 40-50 minutes." CDs as a format just made it too easy to put everything on their. We didn't judge artists too harshly because we could skip songs and program playlists pretty easily. But let's be honest, this album is too long to listen to straight through and the band could have easily taken off 5 or 6 tracks. If they had, this would be an absolutely brilliant album and one of the best of the grunge era, after Nirvana. Chris Cornell's voice was something special. The singles "Spoonman" and "Black Hole Sun" are among some of my favorite songs from the 90s and it's deeply nostalgic. Given all of this, I'm willing to ignore a bit of filler and imagine the album it could have been.

-The day I tried to live

4/5

I've always been a fan of their singles, but never heard the rest of the album. Good stuff.

A solid grunge album I had somewhat neglected back in the days. It was nice to hear that unique mid-90s sound again. Even if it's not my favorite track (I'd probably go for Limo Wreck instead), Black Hole Sun remains an essential grunge anthem. The muddy, gritty guitars totally kick ass, and the vocal parts are amazing. There's a wide range of styles and tempos, with some sludgy moments and some downright hard rock tracks, so the album never gets boring despite its length. It only lacks a special little something I can't define to get a 5* - let's say it's great, but falls short of being genius. 8/10

I liked this a lot more than I expected. Great production with lots of dynamics and depth, some interesting guitar tones/effects, evasive lyrics and Chris Cornell had a great rock/pop voice.

On regular repeat throughout my teenage years.

YEEEEEAAAAAH

Fantastic grunge album. Some of their best hits and the album is consistently good. 4/5

Ya know what's not superunknown? How much this album rocks. Would I listen to again? Absolutely.

I got into a huge Soundgarden binge about two years ago that has not abated. The stuff I'm most enamored of is their live albums, where they crank up the tempo, Kim goes nuts on his solos, and Cornell really wails. Some of the studio tracks end up seeming tame by comparison. Examples here include "Let Me Drown", "My Wave", and "4th of July." Both still sound great, but it feels a little overproduced as opposed to just fuckin' letting it rip. That's really my only complaint. This album is great. To be honest, some of it is STILL at a saturation point for me (the "Black Hole Sun" video was so completely inescapable when I was in middle school I can practically run the whole thing in my head). But even some songs I've heard a billion times ("Fell On Black Days" "Spoonman") still blow my wig back. A bunch of the deep tracks ("Head Down" "The Day I Tried To Live" "Kickstand") rate with the hits. Even the weaker spots ("Fresh Tendrils" "Half") are still no-skips for me. Not enough bands go for straight-up hard rock instead of metal, and many that try seem mired in parody. Soundgarden doesn't. Kim Thayil is an all-time great guitarist. Chris Cornell is probably the best frontman of his generation. I wish I had been as into them when he was alive as I am now, I would've loved to see them. Recommendation for folks who dig this: Listen to "Live on I-5", and in particular the back-to-back of their cover of "Search and Destroy" and "Ty Cobb." Will kick your ass in the best way.

Bit overlong but full of bangers