Reviews (page 8 of 13)
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.
Great album. Good stuff in the middle that wasnt released as singles
Mucho muy bueno
Amazing album. Some of their best stuff on this. But there are a few skippable songs.
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
Liked it nice guitar riffs, sick drums
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!
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.
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
Not my favourite genre but they do it well and Black Hole Sun is pretty cool
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
Black Hole Sun er nok til å gjøre dette til en klassiker
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.
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.
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
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.
It's all blurred into one track in my head, but I really liked it.
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
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
The best Soundgarden album? The best grunge album? An argument could be made.
Damn, this album holds up...honestly didn't think it would but still pretty amazing.
Awesome grunge staple. Chris Cornell has one of the best voices ever. Soundgarden in underrated compared to their grunge peers in my opinion.
Very good, good stuff
good
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.
Great album. Really enjoyed it
Loved it, will listen more!
A classic grunge album with some iconic tracks, especially Black Hole Sun.
Heck yea bro
Their best
This was a really good album! It definitely feels like a record that would have been in line with what I was listening to back in high school/college in my green Honda Accord (90's alternative rock was my main go-to even though I was born in the late 90's). "Let Me Drown" was a very strong opener and did a great job establishing the tone and feeling of the album as a whole. It was during this track that I realized just how much Chris Cornell sounds like Sammy Hagar; I'm surprised I never made that connection before. His vocals were strong throughout the entire album, and I was impressed by the great guitar work/production in every track as well. There were some great songs in here, but it was pretty clear to me that "Black Hole Sun" deserved to be the big hit off of this album. Despite this, I found almost every song way more catchy/unique than other grunge bands from that time period which definitely boosted its enjoyment factor. I will say that it fell off towards the end for me as it concluded on a slow and somber note (it doesn't help that this album came out in peak CD times which definitely contributed to the overly long 70 minute runtime). Overall, I enjoyed going through this one, and I could see myself liking it more and more as I give it a re-listen. 3.5/5.
4.5
Solid album. I don't have any nostalgia towards this album but I still very much enjoyed most of the songs.
Hard to believe the number of major hits this album produced. "Black Hole Sun", "Fell on Black Days", "My Wave", "Spoonman". All hugely overplayed everywhere. But somehow their heavy, base-laden, screamy-lyric sound just does not work for me. Hard to argue with their success or influence though. B-
This is a jam, but just a bit too long for me. Would have been better if it was more condensed.
Grunge
I always associate this album with seeing them play at the Palace in Melbourne 1994. It was just over a month before Superunknown was released but I remember hearing a few tracks that night. It was the night grunge was well and truly over for me as the venue was packed with aggressive shirtless jocks sweat dripping from ceiling due it was so hot and the venue was so poorly ventialed. The sound was terrible and Chris Cornell dynamic frontman that he was struggled over the muddy guitars. So I never really got into this album. It was never a grunge album but beyond a few releases in the early days, few bands pegged with the tag were. This was metal to me. Really good metal but not what I actively listened to. Black Hole and Fell On Days are both amazing songs but Spoonman is generic Soundgarden and could well be Jesus Christ Pose MKII.
Enjoyed this very much!
90's energy <3
Better than I imagined
Sí suena mucho al los 90s. Chido, nada out of the ordinary, pero me la pasé bien. Fav: Black Hole Sun
Singer has great variety: he sounds smooth and pleasant in his middle range, but he's also got a ton of power and grit when he sings high. I mostly like it; there are a few times where he has an American twang that gets on my nerves a bit. I also like the way the album is produced/mixed. The bass is powerful but not overbearing. Definitely feels very 90s. A bit heavier than I expected from a band that's not really classified as metal. Sometimes I'm surprised that music with such heavy distorted guitars could have ever been top of the charts; these days you NEVER see heavy music on the top of the charts. I was gonna give a 3 since I probably won’t return much to this, but I was impressed enough to give a 4.
Although at first I didn't love this as much as Badmotorfinger, which I reckon is their masterpiece, I ended up loving this as a reminder of my youth. Songs like Black Days and Black Hole Sun are now poignant, and given I loved King Animal, I reckon this holds it own.
not a big fan of the genre but was great quality.
Mixed feelings on this album. I was a huge fan of Soundgarden from Louder Than Love on. Saw them 5 times. The first was in Houston at Fitzgerald's in 1989. Not a huge crowd. Cornell sounded like an avenging angel and was one of the most beautiful men I've ever seen. Perfect skin. It's too bad that his voice was ravaged in his later years. Superunknown came out and they played the album in its entirety on the radio in Austin, and I was pissed. It wasn't metal enough for me, but now with this listen, I can see why it was so popular in spite of Kim Thayil's Sonny Sharrock style soloing. I didn't realize at the time that people mellow as they get older and want to try new things.
This album and band was unavoidable in the 90s with like 5 singles released off of it. its pretty solid, but overall cant give it a 5, so i will go with a 4
good
Listen sometimes I think grunge gets overrated but Soundgarden and Nirvana are always welcome in this dojo. Grunge is certainly better then the absolutely exhausting Brit Pop that was also popular in the 90s, and all that meandering Shoe Gazey stuff. This album rocks so hard and so good right from the outside. Cornell's vocals have always hit me just right. Black Hole Sun is an all timer, of course, but my money is on Spoonman for best of the album. If you aren't playing air guitar with Spoonman then you are literally not welcome in my home.
Enjoyable
Годнота.
Classic nostalgia for me, my 14 year old self is headbanging. On a re-listen it's still quite good, but lacking a sense of progression to me. Stylistically cohesive but not necessarily progressing through any movement or dynamic shifts.
Creo que es de mis discos favoritos de Soundgarden. Tienen el clásico 'Black Hole Sun', la brutal 'Superunknown' o 'Let me drown'. Me gustan mucho esas guitarras tan duras, hechas para desnucarte según las escuches en directo.
Yes please, more of this!
First impressions- hard Rock group with pop elements Third track - shades of jeff Buckley Vocalist has metal vocalist chops Pretty interesting stuff going on in the rhythm instruments Black hole sun is a beautiful song Good stuff overall
Great for cruising or driving
Surprisingly good! Not a huge grunge fan but the songs varied enough where it was enjoyable to listen to the whole album. Black hole sun Surprisingly isn't the best song either. Superunknown is a blast. And I don't think there is a bad track on this thing. Spoonman is probably my least favorite, but not a skip. Only not rating it a 5 because it didn't really surprise me in any way. It's a really good grunge album, better than I thought it would be. But still not transcendent out of its genre, like Smashing Pumpkins or exploratory like Violent Femmes, (which isn't grunge but they live in the same neighborhood of grunge)
I don't think I ever listened to this whole album, at least not while really paying attention. I loved listening to it now!
Still rock but I am new to this kind of genre so I am unable to review it. Although it is clear it is somewhat pleasant to listen to.
A powerful, industrial grunge album to kick off the list of 1001 albums. I haven't listened to much Soundgarden despite loving Audioslave.
Pretty punky!
Great album, some classics on it. Christ Cornell is an all time rock voice
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Fell on black days, Head down, Black hole sun, 4th of July
I little more than metal than grunge in sound, but this is the pinnacle of grunge culture with great lyrics covering all sorts of themes of social isolate and angst, and distinctive vocals by Chris Cornell. Stretch from "Fell on Black Days" to "The Day I Tried to Live" is perfect, with a range of heavier songs and some lighter pop songs suitable for all audiences. Starts off weak and I'm surprised "My Wave" was a single. "Kickstand" and "Fresh Tendrils" were generic. "Half" was an interest raga psychedelic song that doesn't fit in. "Head Down" is a personal favorite that I don't see mentioned too often; I just like the sound of it.
Needs to be listened to again but very enjoyable. Felt like I've heard it all already, but that could be the band wider influence
Another pleasant surprise - and more tracks you've heard than you think
Great, mostly nostalgia as not rly my thing anymore but a lot of fun
Great album and singer. Nothing but love
As joint pioneers of grunge, Soundgarden deserve their place in the history books but their version of the Seattle sound displayed their influences to a much greater degree than Nirvana ever did. You can close your eyes and imagine Black Sabbath in much of their music. It's all the better for it too
I went into this expecting to dislike it, but as it turned out, I rather enjoyed it. It's heavy, but it's tuneful. 3.5/5.
Great album, 15-20 minutes too long. Vocals and guitars are brilliant.
Decent but overlong
Thought it was heavier than it is but it was actually quite enjoyable.
A favorite from my youth - still sounds solid. Fave track - "The Day I Tried to Live", for sure. Although "Black Hole Sun" has a special place in my heart due to its availability as a karaoke option...
It was very enjoyable, even though I could tell it was not my style.
Thrash, loud. I really liked Tendrils.
Classy if a bit droney
Terug naar de nineties. Lekkere sound. Fijn!
Soundgarden > Nirvana. Don't @ me. Best track: Black Hole Sun
I almost gave this album 5 stars just because it's been so long since I got an album with teeth. But, listening to this objectively, it's not a 5-star album. So many of these tracks sound exactly like each other. They're solid for all that, though. The album is full of energy and grit and attitude and I'm here for it.
If Superunknown made the list, I wonder about Ultramega OK, Louder Than Love and Badmotorfinger because those albums are the perfect Soundgarden sound. Superunknown is good, but I remember when Spoonman came out thinking they overstayed their welcome. Nevertheless, Soundgarden represent the pinnacle of the NW Grunge sound (yeah, Nirvana is overrated and had Chris Cornell done what Kurt did around the same time they'd be more revered). 3.5/5.
Many many hits on this one. Spoonman, Fell on Black Days (favorite), Black Hole Sun. Great grunge milestone.
Good
Really good still but I think I prefer badmotorfinger. The hits are all time on this one
Very very good grungy sounds, standout in Spoonman. A bit of a slog, but individually I think I would enjoy every song. Also not something I would put on all the time, but it is good stuff.
I somehow missed Soundgarden when they were huge in the 90s -- honestly have no idea how I missed them, but there it is -- and listened to some of their songs much later. Chris Cornell is legend, to state the obvious, and I do like him as a musician, writer, guitarist, performer, etc. Listening to this album today straight through for the first time, it's some really good rock music and even though the "Seattle sound" or "grunge" or whatever it might be called has been done heavily (these guys were on the early end of it, I think, but, man, that sound was everywhere for a while), this is good stuff.
A really good album with a terrific sound and a lot of metal feels to it. I’ll definitely listen to this again.
Rock oscuro.
Disco imprescindible para entender el grunge y el rock de los 90. Impresionante y melódica voz.
rocks hard
Done.
Wasn’t a fan of all the songs but the album finished strong. Getting some zeppelin vibes from the last couple of tracks.
i actually really liked this because it reminded me of ac/dc
Was such a big album, this album IS 1994. The constant comparison or association was always with Nirvana and Pearl Jam but there's a significant difference. Time signature changes, more variety in mood, power and melody. I was always in the minority in not getting or enjoying Nirvana at all, but this was different and far more enjoyable for me. I'd had trouble enjoying Soundgarden's previous albums as they were either too sludgy or screamy :) Chris Cornell reeled it in for this album and fit the songs perfectly, and most of the songs became more diverse and interesting. Highlights are definitely the big hits. One of the best rock albums of the era. 8/10. 4 stars.
Still rocks
Ich muss Alben am Wochenende wieder ausschalten, die Arbeit tötet mich, ich hatte kaum Zeit mich hiermit auseinanderzusetzen, sehr düster, Texte sehr emotional, vor ein paar Jahren der perfekte soundtrack für mein Leben, black hole sun ist ein Klassiker.
Not an album I would've listened to if it weren't for this site, so I guess that's a good thing right off the bat! Can't say I'm a big fan of rock music, but I have heard of Soundgarden. Going through the album, some of the songs did feel same-y or generic, but if you think about it that's probably because a fuck ton of groups have imitated this sound afterwards, so it's not really a criticism of the group itself. Chris Cornell, the lead singer, didn't really strike me as particularly captivating or exceptional, but I still enjoyed listening to him. Favourite songs would have to be Head Down, Black Hole Sun (this evidently seems to be their most popular song according to Spotify, rightfully so in my opinion). Overall, 4/5, not my type of music, but I still enjoyed it and had a few songs to add to my personal playlist, not a bad day at all!
I definitely need to listen more of soundgarden
Grunge Classic! Zurecht
Altbekannt und bewährt. Aber als Album auch schon lange nicht mehr wertgeschätzt
A sprawling, adventurous rock album full of hooks and luscious riffs. It sounds rich and gorgeous and Chris Cornell soars above it all with his incredible vocals. The brilliant, inescapable Black Hole Sun showed a new side of Soundgarden and Spoonman a fans favourite in their live sets but these are far from the only standout moments on the album. Yes it’s long, but it’s an effortless listen and always enjoyable.
Good album with some string singles. I'm more partial to Badmotorfinger myself, but it wasn't hard to get sent back into my 90s grunge phase with this one.
Finally, an album from the actual best decade instead of another album from the 70s. RIP Chris Cornell. What a voice!
Love this era of music
Sounds like Soundgarden set out to make an album just full of bangers: heavy riffs, superb production, even Cornell's singing (God rest his soul) works well in this hazy grunge environment. Another 70 minute album makes it a bit overly long, but with songs like these you can't go wrong.
Heerlijk, helemaal niet zo super onbekend. Meerdere keren geluisterd gisteren, dat was lang geleden..
Geweldig album! Merk ineens weer dat ik altijd moeite heb om 't einde te halen en dus de eerste nummers veel beter ken.
Dit is echt jeugdsentiment. Lang geleden dat ik de plaat in zijn geheel heb geluisterd. Erg goed en wat een sterke nummers.
It's pretty good but not the best I've ever heard
ikke heeelt min stil men faktisk virkelig godt lavet
Na tapete leci czwarty album albumik bandy zwanej jako soundgarden pod tytulem supeunkown, jest to moje pierwsze podejscie do ich tworczosci, poza oczywistymi kawalkami, jak black hole sun, ktore staly sie hymnami muzyki rokowo alternatywnej, a dodatkowo byla hajpowana przez wszelakie stacje muzyczne pokroju mtv, gdy jeszcze leciala tam muzyka, a nie dzieje zycia ludzi bogatych i glupich, wiec chocby to daje wskazowki, ze album jest mocno popowym krazkiem w znaczeniu, ze plyta zostala tworzona z mysla o uzyskaniu jak najwiekszych zasiegow, ale rownie dobrze mozna to powiedziec co wiekszosci tworow w muzyce popularnej, a co za tym idzie na tej liscie, bo jednak muzyke tworzy sie glownie dla zysku, wiec sam album o brzmieniu rokowym w ktorym slychac mocne powiazane z grungem, hardym rokowaniem, czy nawet metalowymi rifowaniami, ale same brzmienie ciezko okreslic gatunkowo, bo poszczegolne traki byly stylizowane na roznych stylach, jak najbardziej rozpoznawalny black hole sun w swojej lini melodycznej mocno inspirowany jest tym co grali beatelsi, half wprowadza bardziej orgientalno wschodnie klimaty, czy nawet trak nagrany z pomoca grajka ulicznego, ktory operowal na lyzkach, stad nazwa spoonman, tresci przewijajace sie na plycie niosa ze soba dosc negatywne emocje, bo spiewanie o problemach, smutku, samobojach, ktorych tworca byl frontmen bandy chris cornell, ktoremu nie tak dawno udalo sie walnac tego samoboja ktorego tak prorokowal chocby na tym albumie, bo w 2k17 postanowil ze soba skonczyc, cos takiego nadaje wedlug mnie drugiego dna sluchanemu trakowi, bo pomimo swojej komercjalnosci, to jednak wylewal samego siebie na traki tworzac je, nie dziwne ze soundgarden jest stawiany czesto w porownaniu z nirvana, bo okres podobny i wywodza sie z tego samego nurtu, a podobienstwa slychac nawet na wokalu, ktory jest mocna strona plyty, plyta idealna na odsluch na doomersko/gloomerski nastroj, 70 minut rozlozone na 15 trakow sprawia, ze jest to przystepny odsluch, na plejke dodalem obok black holowego suna, ktory juz tam byl, fell on black days, the day i tried to live, no i najbardziej orginalny trak czyli spoonmana, nie spodziewalem sie cudow po tej plycie, a milo sie zaskoczylem
Black Hole Sun yaaaaaay Mas nada demais
More cool guitar work than I remember. Very cool 90s moods. Heavy, drop-tuned riffage. Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, and other SG hits on this one.
Never been a big SG fan and this album didn’t change that but I have a better appreciation for them now. Cornell has such a great voice. Black hole sun, Spoonman and Fell on black days are such classics, especially BHS (90s Seattle anthem). I actually really love Fell on Black Days; sounds like a Pearl Jam song (a bit reminiscent of softer nirvana songs too, I think)! My Wave, minus vocals, sounds like a Fugazi song! Stand out tracks: fell on black days, my wave, the day I tried to live and 4th of July.
Potente, enérgico, deliciosamente oscuro.
I've had a copy of this album since it was released.
I liked it! Especially loved Black hole sun and Spoonman
Ok
Nice
A seminal album in grunge rock. Soundgarden >> Pearl Jam Black Hole Sun, The Day I Tried to Live, Fell on Black Days, Spoonman, Superunknown
Very hardcore
Every song hauls
Legendarisch album met de bekendste tracks erop: spoonman, fell on black days en black hole sun. Eigenlijk zou ik deze op LP moeten hebben
Some amazingly heavy moments, and gets pretty trippy at points as well. Disorienting and emotive, but it feels pretty organic. I'm generally not a fan of Chris Cornell's singing, which puts me off a bit. This album features possible the best example of spoons-playing in rock, which has to give it bonus points.
Great album, still sounding fresh
Thoroughly enjoyed. Only listened to the singles off this album and never the whole thing.
Mix of Kurt Cobain inspired lyrics and poised get heavy guitar combined to create an unforgettable album. Favourite songs were Black hole sun and my wave.
rocking rocks, cornell's vocal affectation gets tiresome
хорошо :)
Kinda sad but good. The day I started to live+ 4th of july
Neat album. I understand why you have to hear it before you die.
ja wel echt koele prog rock
Good, Black Hole Sun is still my favourite from the album
Goeie classic (grungy?) rock à la pearl jam ook.
I love the 1990s, but this journey has illustrated to me that the music in that decade just wasn't that great. There, I said it. Whenever I see an album from another popular '90s artist, I expect to hear a legendary album, but I'm disappointed nearly every time. Perhaps if I generated this album just eight days earlier, I would at least have an interesting little coincidence to boast about, but unfortunately, it's mid tier straight white boy Alternative Rock music. Favorite Track: "Black Hole Sun".
soundgarde da hora. Acho mesmo que nunca tinha ouvido esse disco todo.
Little more rock than I wanted I think?
One of the all time great grunge albums, but one that doesn’t stick with me much outside of the singles. It’s a lot of that macho hard rock energy updated for the brooding ‘90s. Chris Cornell was an excellent frontman, but the songwriting can get a bit samey for me. I like this one, but I’m always going to reach for Nirvana or Alice in Chains first.
Kende alleen Black hole sun, maar de rest was ook aangenaam...
7/10 Divertido, movido, buenos ritmos y la voz acompaña excelente
la verdad que un poco disfruto de este estilo. aveces me aturde, pero me gusta. es un 2.5
many good tracks but it only sounds good when its loud.
Chris Cornell’s voice really sets this apart from other yarling grunge. It can’t be denied that they inspired countless butt rock bands, but that’s not their fault. This rips, but some songs fall flat.
man its cool and black hole sun is a great GREAT song (that effin solo man) but i HATE spoonman….
imo weakest band of the big 4 of grunge. their songs just kinda blend into each other in this album
Know 2 songs, not quite the rock I like, but not bad. Grew on me, don't think much of the lyrics. Much better than other Soundgarden on the list. 3.5 rounded down Heard before? Some Owned: Yes, 87/332 (26%) Will I get: No
I know a number of people who fawn over this album and see it as one of the best albums of all time, I've never quite seen it that way. Looking forward to an objective listen... Objectively it's fine/good, but perhaps if you didn't live it at the time, it's just a dude with a strong voice crooning over some decent rock songs?
Gotta trim the fat on some of these songs but other than that, an all timer
Rock hype
Enjoyed this more than expected. Always liked a few songs but didn't expect this much depth
I kinda fw it
Better than expected but not a genre I have any appreciation of.
fav songs: fell on black days black hole sun spoonman the day i tried to live melodic, powerful, balanced 60/100
a few songs were good
Great grunge voice that doesn’t sound as messy as other bands of the era.
Sounds like a bunch of white guys screaming. And that's not a bad thing. But like bruh. What are we doing really. Kinda boring. I mean it's fun and rock and metal but like just shut up. It doesn't interest me. Which is a matter of personal taste, I will say, and I can tell that this is very nicely constructed. Idk a lot of this genre just feels stale to me. It's probably because I'm unfamiliar with it but there's just not a lot of variation in sound to the untrained ear such as me, so it's not that nice to listen to. It's just loud instruments and loud screaming. Nothing really. I like it, it just won't go in my playlist and I'll probably never listen to it again. If the kings of Leon were more emo. Very foreboding. Favourite: Black Hole Sun Least favourite: Limo Wreck
Eh it was fine, I’m not in a rush to listen again
An absolute solid rock album. The songs are heavy and enjoyable. And then, in the middle of the album, lies Black Hole Sun. One of the best Grunge songs. So powerful and interesting to listen to. If there were only more songs with similar qualities on the album...
Not my type
The first half is much more energetic than the end in my opinion, it kind of limps to the finish and hurts my overall estimation of the album unfortunately
Let me drown - 3/5 Slaves & Bulldozers - 2.5/5
Not bad but I also don't love it.
The songs I think are good I think they're really good but the overall album is weak and too long!!
another half-great double album that plods through with little experimentation and left me tapping my toes until the next hit finally came in. i was worried about this only being on the list as a delivery vehicle for black hole sun but it is much better than that, at least. high 3.
3/5
J’aime bien mais plus trop mon style trop dark, trop puissant. A part les classiques évidemment. 6/10
ok
Also nice but like it more in my dreams than actually. It requires too much of a specific mood for me being able to enjoy it.
Heavy rock. Awesome vocals.
Led Zeppelin, re-tooled for the nineties
Man... Soundgarden were so great.
I get it. Sort of.
3.5. Started strong. Some great singles. Quite enjoyed it. Sounds very mid 90s and can hear how it was influenced and influenced others.
perdón eh, pero no me gusta este género, lo respeto.
Reasonable rock sound
It wa stood but idk why this is important
Soundgarden have always been a "I enjoy the odd song if it comes on but never felt the need to listen to a whole album" band for me. They remain that.
A genre defining album with some great songs but a bit boring now 30+ years later.
Okay, not massively for me but equally not bad.
Some undeniable CLASSIC grunge tracks. But all in all this is another one that just bled together for me. Mumbled vocals fuzzy riffs, no longer the groundbreaking sound of a new era.
- The Day I tried to Live remains the best song on the album even after multiple listens. A spiralling tune with fantastic lyrics, clear and excellent progression and the best showing of Cornell's vocal power and variety on this album. - Superunknown is strong, a great showing of the production, the drums in particular sound heavy and really bring a dynamic texture to this album, helped by the unique time signatures, Cornell's vocals overpower the track in a fantastic way, helped by the utterly superb riff (thanks Carter) and the electric momentum of the drum line. - Let Me Drown is a great opener that instantly brings you into the vibe of this album, a loud, abrasive trip that leads well into My Wave, maintaining this momentum for an overall song that finds itself forgotten on my listens, mainly because it's overshadowed by the first of our more sludgy, slower tunes, Fell on Black Days - Mailman doesn't stand out to me personally, it does lead nicely into Superunknown but doesn't do enough on its own to join my playlist -Head Down is fantastic and as a follow up to Superunknown completely changes the tone with a beautiful riff and another unbeatable drum line, Matt Cameron is probably the best drummer in the Grunge genre, at least in this period, his control and ability to effectively slide in and out of the forefront makes him a personal favourite. -Black Hole Sun is...fine, I'm not huge on it. It has a unique vibe but I think Head Down does it better Like Suicide disappoints me and the backend of the album is mostly uninteresting, saved by 4th of July but ultimately it fizzles out amongst an album that has a lot going for it as one of the Big Four with Ten, Nevermind and Dirt but I think personally I liked this album more as a high schooler. There's a lot that works here but also a lot that doesn't. This is good but there's better.
When "Superunknown" came out, it was one of the few albums from that era that really caught my interest. I was particularly taken with the video (and the song) for 'Black Hole Sun'. Overall, I have fond memories of the album. Now, many years later, I've put the album on again and I'm a little disappointed. My initial fascination has waned somewhat. Musically speaking, Soundgarden were undoubtedly the best that the grunge scene had to offer and Chris Cornell was a fantastic singer. However, looking back after more than 30 years, I would say that it's just a good, solid alternative metal album with a slight grunge influence. But it's not my cup of tea (anymore). The single 'Black Hole Sun' really stands out, and the other singles 'Spoonman', 'My Wave' and 'Fell on Black Days' are further highlights.
Love the song “Half” and “Fell on Black Days”. How the heavy drums kick in at the 2:50 mark of “Let me drown” is beautiful. The first minute and a half of “4th of July “ is haunting and powerful.
Chugging classic 90s rock. It’s a solid album with no obvious weakness but honestly nothing that meets the very best of their contemporaries like Nirvana, Pearl Jam or Jane’s Addiction
Not my taste
I can still remember the first time that I heard Black Hole Sun. I was watching MuchMusic (Canadian MTV). It hit like a freight train. What an absolute banger. Spoonman, also a complete banger. Cornell was one hell of a vocalist. At over an hour though, the album does start to drag. The sludge/doom metal sound to start 4th of July was great though.
Black Hole Sun has to be a Top 10 song of all time. Spoonman grooves as well. Everything else is pretty okay. When I listen to this I just picture people in a garage passing a joint. This music compliments that.
Not bad, a couple songs I had heard before.
Good
Yeah
Ótimo para ouvir passando fome, focando nas times signatures pra se esquecer do ronco do estômago.
I’ve never listened to this much soundgarden at once- made me realize some doom metal and punk influence id never noticed before! Very pleasant
I do enjoy some soundgarden it must be said but the latter songs on this album were trying
forgettable
This is literally the music I heard last night at Adrian's place at 1 AM. I've always wondered where the straight men bands get their inspiration from. I feel the same way listening to it as I did last night as I was standing there, packed like a sardine: it sounds good i guess, i dont know what this song is, oh theyre headbanging, are they still playiong the same song?, it smells like moldy cigarette
Some bangers a lot of fillers
This was crazy good at the time, but boy does it sound dated now. Sits at an awkward transition point between hair metal and grunge. Chris sounds incredible, and a few of the tracks are outstanding, but overall it's not something I'm going to throw on today.
I didn't hate this album but I was also ready for it to be over well before it actually ended. It felt very much like I got what they were doing and didn't need 30 more minutes of it after I had already hit the 45 minute mark.
Fun! A bit long though.
Some songs were nice, really liked the 4th of july.
Did not know it but would like to.
Great heavy sound, but only really liked 3 or 4 tracks
Was in the gym and is pretty good for a gym listen
One of the better grunge offerings, and I really do believe that “Black Hole Sun” is maybe the best recording from that whole scene. Besides that, I think I most enjoyed the acoustic elements of “Head Down” and “Half,” probably because they were outliers in a mostly sonically monolithic record. 3.5 rounded down.
Spoonman! I’m more of an audioslave guy myself… 2.5
Classic songs on this album. A little long but good.
semi-real time notes: -soundgarden is one of those bands that i'm always thinking i should give a proper listen, i like other grunge bands, i have massive admiration for chris cornell as a person, and i like a few songs by them, but i've got it in my head that they're a bit too "hard" for my taste which makes me put off listening to their albums. so this was a good way to finally get me to give them a good listen lol should be fun! -loved "let me drown" as album opener. gorgeous -i like "mailman" ... -guitar :-) -gonna preface this by saying that i am as far as can be from having a trained ear for music. but to me soundgarden is one of those bands where most of their songs sound very similar. not in a negative way tho! i think it makes listening to their albums a really unified and absorbing experience. but it makes it harder for me to pick out specific songs that i like. obv the indisputable hit is "black hole sun" but i think listening to it as a song alone is by farrrr inferior to hearing it in the middle of this album. -"spoonman" unequivocal banger. i love a quirky intro and a catchy riff. what is he even singing about. -i like "limo wreck" it reminds me of something but i can't think of what. -"4th of july" when the drums come in. yeah. i love when songs escalate slowly. and i love when songs feel like they're walking in circles. "down in the hole / jesus tries to crack a smile / beneath another shovel load" nice. + ADDED NOTES after reading some (2 stars and lower) reviews. really disheartening that so many people seem to view soundgarden as a macho straight guy band. obviously i disagree with that, but i get why people have those connotations. there's no going back from grunge being co-opted by the mainstream, but it makes me sad that so many people in my generation will only have that bastardised image of them. stream "in bloom" i guess. 18/04/2026
I really liked the first couple of songs, but then it started to wear on me. Maybe should not have listened to near bedtime. Dad music?
Considering I had no expectations fm this album, I was a bit surprised that it didn’t suck as much as I thought. The first four tracks are testosterone-infused yawping that define everything we hate about grunge. Then things get a little interesting and varied as they slowly start to break that mold. The last two songs sound like a different band. I still blame them for Creed, but I will grudgingly admit there’s something there.
Too long with high highs and an incredibly burned-over sound. Everyone wanted to be Soundgarden (and they weren't, obviously) so this much filler kind of sounds like hundreds of also-rans. It's a good album, though maybe not a great one, and Chris Cornell's reputation is earned. This might be THE single album you need to hear to understand the mid-90s, for better or for worse. The other thing about it is that there's not much to pick out here - we know the hits but it is pretty singular in tone otherwise, another knock against its runtime. Did we REALLY need this many songs, and this long? The answer is no. So yeah, great band with some all-timer songs with an iconic sound but not a great album.
No es mi estilo de musica predilecto, pero reconozco que es un buen album de Grunge. Buenos riffs, me gusto Black Hole Sun
Wasn't bad
I only knew Black hole sun. Actually, that is the only Soundgarden song I knew, which is telling of how much I care about this kind of music. The album is OK but nothing exciting. One point more because of the Beatlesque (quite Abbey Road-like) melodies of that famous song (I didn't fail to notice that even before reading other comments)
Good album, I love Chris Cornell but I prefer Audioslave
Divorced dad rock - not in a good way
Grimly, grungy rock that's fun to listen to. It is a long enough album that it drags a bit, though.
ben fatto, ma non particolarmente entusiasmante. non ho trovato nessuna canzone che mi piace
I thought I would like this more than I do but it just doesn't grab me much at all. 3 stars or C+.
Nah. This ain't it.
Good, but the album was just too long.
Vaguely enjoyed but also will never listen to again
3,4/5 Black Hole Sun und The day i tried to live sind natürlich mega aber der Rest überzeugt mich nicht ganz so. Trotzdem gutes Album.
it wasn't a bad album. i saved one song in my playlist :4th of july. I do like the rock vibes, but it's not really my thing. can't say it was bad though.
These are all going to be really good albums so i should treat it as personal preference from the best. And this seems to be pretty consistently in the middle. 3 would work nicely 5- Best of the Best 4- Outstanding 3- Really Great 2- Pretty good 1- I don't get it 0- Why is it here Black hole sun is stellar
I was pleasantly suprised by this album after the first couple of songs and began to get into it. Realised i knew Black Hole Sun, and that was probably the pick of the bunch for me, quite enjoyable. I'd give the album a 2.5/5 Let Me Down 5 My Wave 4 Full on Black Days 5 Mailman 3 Superunknown 6 Head Down 7 Black Hole Sun 8 Spoonman 3 Limo Wreck 4 The Day I Tried to Live 7 Kickstand 5 Fresh Tendrils 6 4th Of July 6 Half 5 Like Suicide 3
My favorite album to shoot up to during the 90's 💉🥄
Good stuff 3 stars
Good classic rock songs, amazing guitar solos. "Let me Drown" is a really good song. Might be a bit repetitive.
Classic of the grunge genre. I do not dislike it but agree with other’s opinions that it is overly long and the songs start to sound indistinguishable after awhile. Yes he is a great grunge frontman but much of that consists of yelling. Some good riffs and definitely gets in your gut but not gonna seek it out just for that.
All the tracks are sooooo long and heavy. I fully understand this was loved when it came out but not my bag
I know I'm in the minority here, but I never could get into Chris Cornell's voice. I know he's objectively talented. And his voice doesn't ruin the rest of what Soundgarden does for me or anything like that. Maybe it's that he took some creative approaches to melody that don't always work for me. Or something like that. I really don't know. I don't hate his voice, but I don't think I've really ever fallen in love with Soundgarden because of that. I've always thought really highly of Kim Thayil's guitar work and the Matt Cameron's drumming is tight. They've written some songs that I genuinely do enjoy. Superunknown is a pretty decent record, and I can certainly understand why this one is on the list. I wish Chris Cornell's voice resonated with me more than it does (I guess I'm saying that I've always wanted to love Soundgarden), but this is still a pretty solid representation of the musical highpoints of 1994. I do, however, resonate with Pup's point in "Robot Writes a Love Song" that if I ever hear Black Hole Sun again, I might self destruct. Boy, that song has been played into oblivion over the years. 7.5/10
Bra men kanske inte för mig
Just because I don't like Chris Cornell singing does not mean I don't think he was a very talented fella with a powerful voice. I just don't like that singing style, sue me. But in my opinion, the best thing about Soundgarden is the actual band. Their instrumentation is fantastic. Top-notch creative songwriting. That guitarist is great.
Some nostalgia, but samey with about 4 good songs. Songs are generally longer
The album as a whole was okay, it's just not my usual style of music. I enjoyed the instrumentation and the vocals, but the songs altogether just didn't really speak to me personally. But that doesn't mean it isn't an objectively good album; it is just my personal preference. There were more stand-outs than filler, to be totally honest, which I did like. There were a couple of tracks that, in the chorus, I kind of thought, 'yeah, I might listen to that again'. Stand-outs: My Wave The Day I Tried To Live Mailman Limo Wreck (my favourite)
7/10
J’entends biens les qualités de l’album. Des solos fous des instructions qui changent et une voix maîtrisée mate. J’entends aussi l’influence qu’a eu ce groupe sur d’autres, justement les voix ressemblent à Kings of Leon par accents, U2 etc. L’album s’inscrit dans cette lignée du rock et est certainement emblématique. Mes préférées : black hole sun / Half / like suicide.
I enjoyed listening to this one. There wasn't anything that especially stood out to me, other than Black Hole Sun, which I think became a hit for a reason
Struggling with this because I really liked some of the songs and the overall sound, but there are also a lot I would skip if I were going to listen again. I need to revisit but going 3 for now. Top Songs: My Wave, Head Down, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman
A superb refresher after a string of kinda boring ones for me. Best songs are Superunknown and Black Hole Sun. 6/10, a solid Rock album.
Black Hole Sun obviously a classic; I really enjoyed Kickstand. 3*
Spet band, k razen ta najbl znanih komadov (se prav tisti, ki so mel videospote), ne poznam baš neki. So far, par komadov notr, čist všečno. Majo nek svoj zvok, ne morš jih zamenjat z drugim bandom of the time. Pomaga tud Cornellov glas. "Mailman", "Superunknown" in "Head Down" so mi med ljubšimi do zdaj. Hm, ampak na splošno: it is just fine.
I always thought I would hate this album because I haaaate Black Hole Sun with a white hot intensity that has not lessened with time. But it's really not bad. The overall sound feels repetitive to me (like if I would listen again, I couldn't just raw dog the whole album straight through), but I am pleasantly surprised how much I don't hate this.
Je mets 3 bien parce que Black Hole Sun est très cool mais sinon rien ne m'a fait réagir dans l'album
I had forgotten i listened to this on friday which kinda says a lot. I did enjoy it at the time but not gonna win any awards from me.
More than ok, less than great
A bit hardcore for me, but Black Hole Sun is one of my favorite songs.
I liked this album fine, but I expected more than just roughly half of this album to be worth listening to more than once...
I liked about half the songs. Thought about knocking it down to a 2 since they didn’t mic the spoons properly.
The highs are super high, the rest are just ok. Notables include Fell On Black Days, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, The Day I Tried To Live, Fresh Tendrils.
I had to listen through this album a few times to really narrow down my feelings about it. I loved the vocals, the lyrics, the music. Really everything about it was great. Still, I didn't find myself really falling in love with it or latching on to any particular songs. I couldn't really pinpoint why, but I do think that length does play a bit of a role. I felt some of the magic of this album kind of started to dissipate over time. This is not to say the album was at all bad. Quite the contrary. I did really like it, and, admittedly, the length is a bit of a nitpick. There were also just not really "stand outs." There were great tracks, sure, but none I instantly grew attached to or wanted to listen to over again.
When I saw Soundgarden generated, I got pretty excited. Unfortunately, I kind of forgot that they're one of those bands that I like in theory, but they never quite live up to that theory when I actually listen to them. I'm a fan of grunge and hard rock, everyone in the band plays incredibly well, Chris Cornell was one of the best singers out there, but in the end I just get tired of it so quickly. There are a few standout tracks (Black Hole Sun, Spoonman), but the rest all sound way too similar to me. It doesn't help that this is a really long album too. They're apparently a perfect candidate for a playlist band, but unfortunately, I don't really listen to playlists any more.
It is rock. Not terrible stuff, nothing remarkable imo.
Grunge that leans metal. I've tried Soundgarden many times, and such as either this album, om not drawn to the sound. I get how visceral the music could be, but it just doesn't click for me. Not bad, just not for me.
its dad music for sure gotta agree on that part. still i think its pretty good lmao
3.5
Solid rock. Good 3. Just dudes doing dudes stuff.
Me ha sorprendido gratamente este disco y me parece que tiene canciones bastante escuchables. Tiene la duración ideal, psicodelia, con riffs brutales y la voz impresionante. Debe ser el mejor disco de Soundgarden
Prima om naar te luisteren, wou het niet afzetten enkel op het einde
2,5
Entertaining listen
not so much for me. the music isnt very appealing and lyrics dont do it for me either. some songs tho..
Great album. I always liked Soundgarden but still for the genre don't like it more than 10 by Pearl Jam or Nevermind by Nirvana
Acceptable Rock.
Liked it good rock album
Actually pretty good I just don't like grunge
Very Soundgarden. Good for a while, but wears after a bit.
Ganz cool, war entspannt zu hören beim arbeiten, Black Hole Sun Banger aber ich glaube Rock ist nich so meins leider
Mid first few songs
Mid album, good chords but bland vocals, lack of personality. 3/5
I've always thought that this is the weakest of the Big 4 grunge albums, but I was at the record store a while back and they were playing it, and it was sounding like the coolest album ever. Unfortunately, I find it too long to ever make time to listen to it, even though I actually really like several of the songs!
Classic dad rock albums
Decent album. This kind of rock isn't my favourite, but some songs were quite enjoyable (Head Down and The Day I Tried To Live were nice). Big fan of guitar solos, and the ones in this album were really neat. The songs got a bit repetitive and way too long though. It's pretty generic for what you usually hear in this genre and honestly, only a few songs were solid.
Man I love Chris Cornells voice. And the way he knows the perfect vocal melody is insane
Highlights: Fell On Black Days, Superunknown, Black Hole Sun, Spoonman Lowlights: Mailman, Limo Wreck, Half Didn't do too much for me. Most of the album sounds extremely similar and almost every song is like a minute too long. Wouldn't say it's bad by any means, just, eh?
Had a long drawn out review but then got distracted by work and lost it. Not starting from scratch. This album is better than what I was expecting. Only ever heard good things about sound garden and I understand why. Guitar and drums carry through out. Good not great songwriting. Nothing life changing, but really solid album. A little too prestige, but it does have some good changes of pace. Good title track which is a plus. Overall probably won’t listen to agin but not upset that I did. 3.3 stars.
I went back to listen to Soundgarden's earlier work while waiting to post my review, since none of them are part of the 1001 albums. "Superunkown" is definitely different from their more raw, gritty sound that they originally had. And I think it's for the worst. "Black Hole Sun" is the defining hit on this album. I quite liked “4th of July” and “Half.” I might be unique in that though. Those songs aren’t on their compilation albums. The rest of "Superunknown" is.. fine? Safe maybe?
Disfrutable Tiene joyas escondidas 3.5
I think that the album was definitely my music type. I just feel like it loses a star because the lack of memorability and another for the moderate lyricism. I did enjoy it and would not skip it if it came on.
3.5 pas si mal mais m'interesse pas
Superunknown is the fourth studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on March 8, 1994. Superunknown was a critical and commercial success and became the band's breakthrough album. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The album also topped the Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand charts. In 1995, the album was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album. The album has been certified six times platinum by the RIAA in the United States. In April 2019, Superunknown was ranked No. 9 on Rolling Stone's "50 Greatest Grunge Albums" list.
Black hole sun was admittedly good but beyond that none of the songs were that incredible. Not really the thing.I typically listen to, which isn't bad but it means it'll be harder to like. This was fine but nothing incredible. 63/100
Going into this I was expecting to really like it. I like a lot of Chris Cornell's other work, but I hadn't listened to this album in full. I found it astoundingly okay. A lot of it didn't interest me, and I was only really enticed by the songs I had already heard before(Fell on black days, Black Hole Sun). Maybe I'm just boring, but the rest of the album felt quite generic and didn't hit well.
I have a strange relationship with Soundgarden. They have some decent songs, but I think on the whole they sound like a weird amalgamation of Foo Fighters and Shinedown (probably because they influenced these bands). Sadly it’s just a sound I can’t really get on board with. I also feel like this goes on far too long. It’s an hour 10 of the exact same sound over and over again with very little variation, by the end I was willing it to finish.
2.5
Its nice but also forgettable I feel like
It rocks pretty hard for way too long
The slow tempos throughout really makes this album drag. Individually I think the songs are decent.
Sound quality is awesome. The problem here is, Chris Cornell's voice isn't really my type. Matt was cool here. This album subjectively felt average.
It’s fine. The music is objectively pretty good, it just doesn’t hold my interest. Grunge isn’t my favorite, and it all kind of sounds the same. This didn’t need to be quite so long