ALBUM OF THE WEEK #158 SOUNDGARDEN - SUPERUNKNOWN (1994)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Soundgarden

Genre: Rock

Country Of Origin: United States

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Member: No

Album: Superunknown

Released: March 8, 1994

Producer: Michael Beinhorn/Soundgarden

Best Single: Spoonman

Best Album Cut: Like Suicide

Additional Hidden Gems: Let Me Drown/Mailman/Superunkown/Limo Wreck/Kickstand/4th Of July

Filler: Head Down/Fresh Tendrils/Half

Lyric Of The Week: "I know I'm headed for the bottom, But I'm riding you all the way"

This week our tour of the 90's continues with a band that stood tall in the grunge era.  It's Soundgarden with their breakthrough album Superunknown.  I'm not one of those folks who moan about grunge killing rock.  The only thing it killed was hair metal, which had infiltrated the airwaves and put an end to whatever style music was popular before it.  To me it was just a new style of rock music.  I'd be the first to say grunge is better than what's popular now.  

Anyway, this album was big.  It's my second favorite by Soundgarden, with Badmotorfinger being my favorite.  It's really good in my opinion, but a bit too long.  They should have cut at least 3 songs.  Here are my tidbits:

• Superunkown debuted at number one on the Billboard albums chart selling 310,000 copies in it's first week.
• It has been certified 5 X Platinum by the RIAA.
• Five singles were released from the album (all marked with an asterisk below)
• The band won two Grammy's in 1995.  Black Hole Sun won for Best Hard Rock Performance while Spoonman won for Best Metal Performance.  The album was nominated for Best Rock Album, but lost out to The Rolling Stones (Voodoo Lounge).
• The album cover art is a distorted picture of the band above a black and white upside down burning forest.
• The song Spoonman features a performance by a street entertainer in Seattle named Artis The Spoonman.
• Bassist Ben Shepherd handles lead vocals on the track Head Down.
• Mailman sounds really grungy and would have fit perfectly on the previous album (Badmotorfinger).
• Kim Thayil is outstanding on this album.  Actually, it's a great album musically on all fronts.  It's full of odd time signatures and sounds.  

1. Let Me Drown

2. My Wave *

3. Fell On Black Days *

4. Mailman

5. Superunkown

6. Head Down

7. Black Hole Sun *

8. Spoonman *

9. Limo Wreck

10. The Day I Tried To Live *

11. Kickstand

12. Fresh Tendrils

13. 4th Of July

14. Half

15. Like Suicide

[Jon]

But...it's THURSDAY!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Yessir.  Where has your mind been.  I've been posting on Thursday for a long time now.  I just had time to do it this morning as opposed to tonight.  You wanna fight?

[Jon]

OK!

[Scott]

Good point that grunge killed Hair Metal (not such a bad thing), and a great point that its better than whats out today!  No argument from me on those...

[Jon]

I forgot I have this album. It's not bad, but you're right about it being too long. I remember the first half of the album, and must zone out everytime I've heard the second half since none of it is familiar at all. I like "Badmotorfinger" better as well, but get a kick out of "Spoonman", not because of the song but because of the song title.

The best thing about listening to this is that in a year or so I'll forget that I own it again. Then maybe I'll listen to it again and remember the first half and not the second half. And to be 100% honest, I have already forgotten about the second half od this album already. 

Still, it's a good album. Must be great since a good portion of it will be new to me whenever I hear it again?

[Scott]

I recall bands filling up CD's with loads of tunes around this same time.  Never really liked that approach and this one suffers because of it as well.  Too long...  If they ever released a Super Deluxe Edition they may have a package somewhere around 100 songs.  hahahaha

At least they back loaded the filler tunes making this a great listen through Track 8, so then if they excluded Limo Wreck, Kickstand (a minute and 34?  Really?), 4th of July, and Half - then were talking a solid top to bottom album!

What I get excited about when I revisit the 90's is how well some of it holds up to what I would consider Classic Rock.  Your right, theres some great riffage and classic beats to the heard when you take away those things that make you biased to a 90's band grunginess...

Nice Post!!!  Pleasantly surprised at this one since its been so long....