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Paulie
11-16-2012, 07:55 AM
Prolly should have put this on the main forum, but I wanted to avoid the proverbial "What is Prog?" debate. When it comes to SG, they are about as adventurous and creative as it gets and this newest offering (the first in over 15 years) has been kicking my ass since last Tuesday.

Standouts for me are Non-State Actor, A Thousand Days Before, and Attrition. If you're a fan, this is an essential grab.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIDInlJJFb0

100423
11-16-2012, 09:38 AM
I was wary (to say the least) about this album as I've not been fond of the direction Chris Cornell has gone as of late, but I have to say that I've been digging it over all.

enpdllp
11-16-2012, 09:46 AM
I have not seen it yet, but Soundgarden was Letterman's musical guest this past Monday (http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/video/2304226349/live-on-letterman-soundgarden). In addition to the the track they played on the Monday show, they had an additional one hour live performance webcast (Live On Letterman (http://www.cbs.com/shows/liveonletterman/artist/194340/soundgarden/)).

Vic2012
11-16-2012, 09:59 AM
I'll look for it this weekend. I dig SG.

100423
11-16-2012, 10:05 AM
In addition to the the track they played on the Monday show, they had an additional one hour live performance webcast (Live On Letterman (http://www.cbs.com/shows/liveonletterman/artist/194340/soundgarden/)).

Very cool! Thanks!

Yves
11-16-2012, 10:49 AM
New Soundgarden is auto buy for me! Thanks for the heads up Paulie!

MudShark22
11-16-2012, 11:06 AM
Absolutely...thanks Paulie....

JohnnyPronix
11-19-2012, 12:09 AM
I'm just listening to this tonight for the first time and really enjoying it. "By Crooked Steps" just kicked my fucking ass!

JohnnyPronix
11-19-2012, 01:23 AM
Damn, this whole album kicks some serious ass! :up

Paulie
11-19-2012, 07:00 AM
Yep, By Crooked Steps is great, as is Eyelids Mouth. Aw hell, the whole album is killer! I bought the deluxe edition which includes demo versions of a handful of the tunes here. They are just as good if not better than the versions that made it to the disc.

This is my pick for 2012 hands down.

Jerjo
11-19-2012, 01:03 PM
Listening to it this morning for the first time. Damn, I missed this band so bad. A solid set with a couple songs that are a little more contemplative and plenty that just rock like a beast.

Paul
11-19-2012, 05:54 PM
This is a worthy successor to the underrated 'Down on the Upside', and I hope they continue making music.

Vic2012
11-19-2012, 06:28 PM
I found it at Barnes & Noble, for $15.99. WTF? Passsssssss ....... I'll get it when I can find it cheapa!.

dropforge
11-20-2012, 01:58 AM
I found it at Barnes & Noble, for $15.99. WTF? Passsssssss ....... I'll get it when I can find it cheapa!.

Who buys CDs at Barnes & FreakinNoble??!! :lol

You can find it cheapa anywhere else, I'm sure.

JIF
11-24-2012, 03:39 AM
I found it at Barnes & Noble, for $15.99. WTF? Passsssssss ....... I'll get it when I can find it cheapa!.I got it at Target for $12.99. Btw, I started a thread on this cd cause I couldn't find this one. How do I delete my thread?

downbyariver
11-25-2012, 11:25 AM
The MP3 album was $3.99 on Amazon day of release (Which is what I bought). I don't hear anything in there that doesn't sound like Soundgarden or music a Soundgarden fan from the old days would appreciate. It definitely more "Superunknown and after" era than "Badmotorfinger and before" era, which is as I prefer it. There's a bit of a hint of more polish than typical grunge-era grunge music and of modern-rock stylings, but not enough so that it puts it outside of their sound. I think they hit the right mix of "picking up right where they left off" and "Realizing it's 2012" (They've actually made fewer adjustments than Pearl Jam, which is not to say that Pearl Jam's new sound doesn't work for Pearl Jam also, it does).

It's good to see a lot of these old grunge bands rising from the ashes. For a long while, Pearl Jam was the last band standing. Now we've got Alice in Chains and Soundgarden back, too. It doesn't look like Nirvana will ever return, because the band was so tied up in Kurt Cobain- it'd be like replacing your song writer, lead vocalist, and lead guitarist all at once, it might have happened after Kurt's death had the bass player and drummer wanted to give it a go within a few years, but all these years later no one would accept it.

I wonder if we'll ever get to the point where we have younger guys in new grunge bands that sound like something out of the 90s again, the same way we have newer progressive rock bands that sound like something out of the 70s, or if we're limited to the old acts getting back together. Regardless, it's more than I'd have expected a few years ago!

Anyone have any word on Alice in Chains second post-reunion album? I was hearing early 2013 at one point, but that was a while ago.

Anyhow, best songs from Soundgarden's King Animal- "Been Away for Too Long" and "Attrition". At least, those are my early favorites. Things might change after the album sits with me for a few more months or years.

Jerjo
11-25-2012, 02:52 PM
It's good to see a lot of these old grunge bands rising from the ashes. For a long while, Pearl Jam was the last band standing. Now we've got Alice in Chains and Soundgarden back, too. It doesn't look like Nirvana will ever return, because the band was so tied up in Kurt Cobain- it'd be like replacing your song writer, lead vocalist, and lead guitarist all at once, it might have happened after Kurt's death had the bass player and drummer wanted to give it a go within a few years, but all these years later no one would accept it.

I wonder if we'll ever get to the point where we have younger guys in new grunge bands that sound like something out of the 90s again, the same way we have newer progressive rock bands that sound like something out of the 70s, or if we're limited to the old acts getting back together. Regardless, it's more than I'd have expected a few years ago!

Anyone have any word on Alice in Chains second post-reunion album? I was hearing early 2013 at one point, but that was a while ago.



That last Alice in Chains was an ass-kicker. Now if Screaming Trees were to reunite...

jupiter0rjapan
11-26-2012, 01:41 PM
That last Alice in Chains was an ass-kicker. Now if Screaming Trees were to reunite...
As much as I like Screaming Trees, I am quite content with the endless stream of killer Mark solo Cds since the band broke up. Mark is the man!

cupwonder
11-26-2012, 03:06 PM
Definitely want to get this one!

Vic2012
11-26-2012, 06:28 PM
I bought "King Animal" today, thanks to JIF. I went to TARGET and found it for 13.99. Still a little steep but fuck it, it was worth every penny. God I love it. This band just picked up where they left off. Heavy riffs, odd time signatures, and Chris Cornell's banshee vocals. My early favorite is "Blood on The Valley Floor." :bad :horns

Any Soundgarden fan needs to get this CD. I'll place it after Van Halen's "A Different Kind Of Truth" as the rock masterpeice of 2012.

Klonk
11-26-2012, 06:57 PM
This is definitely on my list. Love that tune you posted up there, Paulie.

Joe F.
11-26-2012, 08:47 PM
Got the album and really like it.

Got my tickets to see them in Seattle in February. Nothing like a hometown gig. :)

JIF
11-26-2012, 10:32 PM
I bought "King Animal" today, thanks to JIF. I went to TARGET and found it for 13.99. Still a little steep but fuck it, it was worth every penny. God I love it. This band just picked up where they left off. Heavy riffs, odd time signatures, and Chris Cornell's banshee vocals. My early favorite is "Blood on The Valley Floor." :bad :horns

Any Soundgarden fan needs to get this CD. I'll place it after Van Halen's "A Different Kind Of Truth" as the rock masterpeice of 2012.You're welcome. I think everyone on this site should go out and get a copy. Then, tell all their friends to go get a copy; let's send this baby to #1.

Facelift
11-26-2012, 11:17 PM
I want to hear this. The only review I had read was Pitchfork's, which wasn't bad, but not too good:

"On [Superunknown], Soundgarden got their formula of muscular hard rock, brooding, psychedelic power ballads, and acoustic mysticism down to an exact science, and Upside simply repeated those same moves to slightly diminished returns. (Consider how the surreal, bad-trip Beatleisms of Superunknown's "Black Hole Sun" got processed into the melodramatic and obvious "Blow Up the Outside World.") Now, imagine that same formula rehashed and diluted even more and you've got King Animal...

King Animal makes for a respectable display of Soundgarden's proficiency, but lacks their once-imposing majesty. Listening to the record, it's easy to forget what a disorienting, brutalizing effect songs like "Rusty Cage" and "Jesus Christ Pose" had on the early-90s rock landscape, even after Nirvana had nudged post-hardcore-schooled noise to the right of the dial. And in the decade and a half that Soundgarden were out of commission, there have been many art-metal aspirants-- from the Deftones and Queens of the Stone Age to Mastodon and Boris-- who've aimed for a similar balance of brains and brawn. The best hope for King Animal was that Soundgarden would be inspired enough by their spiritual successors to want to outdo them, and set a new benchmark for ambitious aggression. Instead, the group's first album since 1996 just sounds like the one they would've churned out in 1998."

Vic2012
12-03-2012, 07:03 PM
Well, no one wants to yack about this album but my God, I've been on a Soundgarden kick for the last week or so. Man I love the new album. I'm even getting into songs from "A Sides" that I wasn't into so much, like "Rusty Cage," and "Jesus Christ Pose." You can tell theses guys have heard a few King Crimson albums in their early days. Slashing, atonal guitars, and odd meters. Awesome. Just, fucking awesome.

Jerjo
12-03-2012, 07:27 PM
Truly a candidate for my non-prog best of the year list. An incredible comeback.

Paulie
12-04-2012, 06:47 AM
"Rusty Cage,"Prolly my favorite SG tune of all time right there. Love that dual sustaining guitar intro that morphs right into a full-blown face-melting juggernaut assault to the senses. Just...sublime.
Well, no one wants to yack about this albumI'm truly surprised that these guys do not get more love here. Oh well. I guess it needs 13 stacks of keyboards, a "Mellotron Wash," sack-less vox, and airy-fairy lyrics to be "prog."

Yves
12-04-2012, 11:47 AM
I'm still awaiting my copy. Though I could have found it at any brick & mortar store, I ordered it on-line along with some stoner bands. Hoping it arrives soon!

Sean
12-04-2012, 12:18 PM
Wash THIS "Mellotron"! :up

Big Ears
12-04-2012, 04:36 PM
I would also like to see a Temple of the Dog reunion.

Joe F.
12-04-2012, 05:15 PM
I would also like to see a Temple of the Dog reunion.

You never know what could happen during the Seattle shows. ;)

I doubt that there'll ever be another album under that moniker.

Vic2012
12-04-2012, 06:52 PM
Well, I simply cannot stop listening to the new album. I made a CDr of most of King Animal and a bunch of tracks from the compilation "A Sides." It'll reside in my player all week, or until I get sick of it. That's me. This happened earlier this year with the new Van Halen. Just play it until it wears a groove in my brain. I've even played about half the album on the jukebox at the pub. Now you know that it's like a desease ;). Really, there isn't a bad track on the album. There might be a couple tracks that aren't as strong as the rest of the album (and man are there a lot of songs on this disk). The two tracks that I really love the most are "Blood On The Valley Floor" and "Eyelid's Mouth." My only complaint about this album is that the songs are too short. I wish some songs could've been extended a little. But that's a minor complaint. It's an excellent album.

I really love Chris Cornell's singing. I'm thinking of getting an Audioslave album. I hear the best one is the first one. Opinions? I should check out their stuff on youtube.

Joe F.
12-04-2012, 08:16 PM
I really love Chris Cornell's singing. I'm thinking of getting an Audioslave album. I hear the best one is the first one. Opinions? I should check out their stuff on youtube.

That would be my opinion. I have all three and they get a little weaker for me as they go.

Have you heard the Temple of the Dog album? If not, that should be your next purchase. Imho.

Vic2012
12-04-2012, 09:26 PM
That would be my opinion. I have all three and they get a little weaker for me as they go.

Have you heard the Temple of the Dog album? If not, that should be your next purchase. Imho.

I've heard the radio hit from Temple Of The Dog (Hunger Strike, or something). I've heard it's pretty good.

JIF
12-04-2012, 10:44 PM
That would be my opinion. I have all three and they get a little weaker for me as they go.

Have you heard the Temple of the Dog album? If not, that should be your next purchase. Imho.I second that.

Joe F.
12-04-2012, 10:54 PM
I've heard the radio hit from Temple Of The Dog (Hunger Strike, or something). I've heard it's pretty good.

I'd recommend checking out some of the other TotD tracks out while you're checking out Audioslave on YT.

dropforge
12-05-2012, 02:21 AM
I really love Chris Cornell's singing. I'm thinking of getting an Audioslave album. I hear the best one is the first one.

Yes, it is. Get it. You're gonna love it. Great band. Also check out the non-album track "We Are The Whip." You'll want the other two Audioslave albums, eventually.

Big Ears
12-05-2012, 04:08 AM
Temple of the Dog has Reach Down, as well as Hunger Strike. The only good Audioslave track I am aware of is Cochise, as I found Tom Morello's guitar playing VERY irritating.

dropforge
12-05-2012, 04:27 AM
The only good Audioslave track I am aware of is Cochise

Because you saw the video for it? Maybe you need to hear the rest of the CD. :lol

I don't get the "irritating guitar" remark. Was Tom playing in your bedroom while you were trying to sleep? :rofl

Temple Of The Dog is okay, but if you DON'T like Pearl Jam (like me), you won't like all of it.

Big Ears
12-05-2012, 06:36 AM
I've got the first Audioslave CD, but I don't think I have ever seen footage of the band. I just did not like Morello's style on this album at all, especially the solos. I use the word 'irritating', although it could be interchangeable with 'frustrating', because he appears to be a technical player, but I don't like the sound. I'll give them credit for experimentation and heaviness. I've read contradictory articles about Cornell's relationship with the members of Rage Against the Machine in magazines and on the internet. On the latter, Cornell has been quoted as saying that he gelled better with the Rage Against the Machine musicians than Thayil and Soundgarden. He also said he thought Audioslave improved with successive albums, but I have not heard the others. In magazines, I've read that Audioslave was Rage Against the Machine versus him!

I do like Pearl Jam, in small doses, but I would agree that not ALL of Temple of the Dog works (it is in need of editing). In my view, Hunger Strike is probably better than anything by Soundgarden or Pearl Jam. It's a fantastically punchy track. I've analysed the Hunger Strike video over and over, as well as the track, and I cannot figure out who is singing what - Vedder or Cornell.

Yves
12-05-2012, 08:33 AM
Isn't Vedder doing lead vocals and Cornell the backing vocals? As for Hunger Strike being better than any Soundgarden...OUCH! I feel that "Superunknown" is the best album of the grunge era.

Joe F.
12-05-2012, 08:42 AM
Isn't Vedder doing lead vocals and Cornell the backing vocals? .

Not quite.

Cornell is the first voice heard in the song and sings the first verses up to the first "I'm going hungry" and Vedder sings the second. Then Cornell comes back in singing the high parts up to that liitle instrumental break. I think it's pretty obvious after that who is singing what. ;)

Yves
12-05-2012, 09:33 AM
Been a while since I heard it...

Paulie
12-05-2012, 09:39 AM
As for Hunger Strike being better than any Soundgarden...OUCH!Right?! But he did say "In my view," which is cool, but not even close...not even in the same universe...in my view. :D

dropforge
12-05-2012, 11:26 AM
In my view, Hunger Strike is probably better than anything by Soundgarden or Pearl Jam.

Better than "Rusty Cage"? "Room A Thousand Years Wide?" "Day I Tried To Live"? "Hunger Strike" sounds more like a jam that was edited down into a song and tightened up.


I've analysed the Hunger Strike video over and over, as well as the track, and I cannot figure out who is singing what - Vedder or Cornell.

That's weirder yet because to me their voices together are as oil and water. Cornell's is the powerful voice, Vedder's is the one that sounds like a goat in a petting zoo massacre.

Paulie
12-05-2012, 11:59 AM
Vedder's is the one that sounds like a goat in a petting zoo massacre.:lol:lol:lol

Jerjo
12-05-2012, 12:09 PM
I got rid of my Audioslave CDs. I hated Morello's guitar sound. That "drill bit" solo crap got to be nails on the chalkboard for me.

Vic2012
12-06-2012, 05:19 AM
Is it just me or does anyone else hear a bit of Robert Fripp in Kim Thayil's playing? I've never been crazy about Kim's (or Robert's) playing but he is kind of unique, and perfect for Soundgarden. I couldn't imagine Soundgarden without Kim. They're all great musicians. That rhythm section is sick too.

Big Ears
12-06-2012, 08:54 AM
There cannot be many famous heavy rock guitarists whose parents were born in India. I liked this quote on Wikipedia and I hope it is genuine:

"I think Soundgarden is a pretty good band and I'm a fine guitarist. I'm not God, but I'm certainly not average. I feel very comfortable with the fact that not many other people can do what I do on guitar. I think my guitar is happy with the way I play it."

JIF
12-07-2012, 07:27 AM
Is it just me or does anyone else hear a bit of Robert Fripp in Kim Thayil's playing? I've never been crazy about Kim's (or Robert's) playing but he is kind of unique, and perfect for Soundgarden. I couldn't imagine Soundgarden without Kim. They're all great musicians. That rhythm section is sick too.Who's Robert?

Vic2012
12-08-2012, 11:55 AM
Fripp!


I'm still playing the album. I love it. I can't gush enough about it.

These songs are as good as anything they've done:

Been Away too long
Non-State Actor
By Crooked Steps
Blood On The Valley Floor
Bones Of Birds
Taree
Worse Dreams
Eyelid's Mouth

:up:up:up

JIF
12-08-2012, 10:53 PM
Yes, it is. Get it. You're gonna love it. Great band. Also check out the non-album track "We Are The Whip." You'll want the other two Audioslave albums, eventually.Wasn't the last one a concept album?

JIF
12-08-2012, 10:56 PM
Fripp!


I'm still playing the album. I love it. I can't gush enough about it.

These songs are as good as anything they've done:

Been Away too long
Non-State Actor
By Crooked Steps
Blood On The Valley Floor
Bones Of Birds
Taree
Worse Dreams
Eyelid's Mouth

:up:up:upSorry, I just couldn't believe what I read. LOL!! Someone on a prog site saying that they don't like Robert's playing.

Vic2012
12-09-2012, 07:08 AM
Sorry, I just couldn't believe what I read. LOL!! Someone on a prog site saying that they don't like Robert's playing.

I didn't say I didn't like his playing, I've just never been all that crazy about his style. I get the same vibe from Kim Thayil, but I do think Kim is fine guitar player. He also reminds me a bit of Jimmy Page. But when I hear Jesus Christ Pose and Kim's doing that atonal riffing thing it reminds me of Red-era King Crimson. Ya know, this music is called grunge, but I think it's just intelligent, hard/rock, right up there with Crimson and Rush.

Vic2012
12-09-2012, 11:43 AM
I was fartin' around at Youtube and found this:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA7SQI-rCuI

They do 2 songs from King Animal and Rusty Cage. The interview with Jools is lame. Jools tries to be cute and funny and you could see that Chris tries to restrain himself from doing one of these ---> :roll

But it's cool to see this band is still so badass after all these years. If they come down here I'll go see them.

Jerjo
12-09-2012, 03:18 PM
Nice video. If anything, they're playing better than they did back in the day. Perhaps less substances around or just more focus on getting the job done.

Vic2012
12-09-2012, 07:20 PM
The only thing about that stupid interview I liked was finding out that Johnny Cash covered "Rusty Cage." I'm not a Johnny Cash fan but I'm curious to hear that cover he did.

JIF
12-09-2012, 09:44 PM
I didn't say I didn't like his playing, I've just never been all that crazy about his style. I get the same vibe from Kim Thayil, but I do think Kim is fine guitar player. He also reminds me a bit of Jimmy Page. But when I hear Jesus Christ Pose and Kim's doing that atonal riffing thing it reminds me of Red-era King Crimson. Ya know, this music is called grunge, but I think it's just intelligent, hard/rock, right up there with Crimson and Rush.I don't think you're that off on your point since Kurt Cobain was a fan of Red.

Jerjo
12-09-2012, 09:50 PM
Here's Johnny:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtbuUlSGXzc

Now there's a singer that could make damn near anything his own.

Vic2012
12-10-2012, 07:06 AM
Thanks for posting that video Jerjo. I've been meaning to check out Johnny's cover of Rusty Cage. I'm not into Johnny Cash but I'll give him props for doing a country cover of a fast, grunge/rock song like that.

Vic2012
12-24-2012, 10:07 PM
Jesus, man I cannot stop listening to King Animal. It's been what? 3 weeks? A month? I simply cannot stop listening to Soundgarden. They're like Rush! Intelligent rock with odd time siggies. My God they rock!!!!! :horns :bad

progholio
12-29-2012, 04:33 PM
just finished listening to a borrowed copy of King Animal.
initial impression - sounds pretty much like they picked up where they left off, doesn't quite smack me like Badmotorfinger or Superunknown did when i first heard them but those are hard to top in my book. i'm sure i'll like this even more with repeated spins.

i thought the same thing about Clockwork Angels when i bought it and it's is by far my favorite of 2012.

Paulie
01-29-2013, 08:05 AM
By Crooked Steps vid. Directed by Dave Grohl. Does Grohl even sleep? I think not.

http://soundgardenworld.com/crookedSteps/index.html

MudShark22
01-29-2013, 09:14 AM
Cannot believe I have forgotten that this was out.....must fix this error.

Re: Audioslave
One trick pony and that trick was used on Cochise (psst...I have all the albums, so dont go there). However, I could listen to Cochise a hundred times in a row, its that good of a tune.

Re: Superunknown
While it might not be my fave SG album (that's probably badmotorfinger); the title track is likely my fave SG song.