Soundgarden - King Animal

RodgersLFC

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=1&title=soundgarden_king_animal_album_stream

New album streaming now on NME. About halfway through so far, its great and a worthy addition to their discography.

zombiepaw

Pre ordered it a week ago, can not wait til next week when it arrives

seachto7

pre ordered it a few days ago. That and the new Deftones album next week. Not sure whether to go and listen to it now, or just wait it out!!
Big SG fan, but still yet to see them. Can't afford London gig........

sham69

thanks a million OP, listening to it now in work, couldn't wait

Sounds great.
Would love to see them live, saw Chris in the olympia a few months ago, absolutely amazing.
Hopefully they will play here soon..

RodgersLFC

sham69 wrote: »

thanks a million OP, listening to it now in work, couldn't wait

Sounds great.
Would love to see them live, saw Chris in the olympia a few months ago, absolutely amazing.
Hopefully they will play here soon..

No worries dude. Was at the Olympia gig myself, and it was one of the greatest gigs I've ever attended. Amazing stuff.

New record is great too, definitely an upgrade on some of Chris's solo efforts of late!

Richy06

This is such a let down. It's not even as good as Down On The Upside, which was a bit **** overall. Ah well.

seachto7

Listening to it. So far so good. It has shades of Down On The Upside, and shades of some of his solo stuff (Euphoria Morning). I am a big fan of Euphoria Morning, so this is all good for me.

I don't expect it to sound like Badmotorfinger or any of their other stuff, as it's 2012, not 1992. They have grown older, their tastes will have shifted somewhat. I like it.

seachto7

Richy06 wrote: »

This is such a let down. It's not even as good as Down On The Upside, which was a bit **** overall. Ah well.

I can see how you don't like it. It does sound a lot like the Down On The Upside stuff.

Richy06

I love/d Euphoria Morning and thought DOTU was a an okay 3 out of 5 after the previous 4/5 star albums preceding it. Nor do I expect to ape their older stuff too much, if it did, it'd only be a pale imitation. So what we're left is a heavy Chris Cornell solo album, on first listen. It's what it sounds like to my ear anyway. I will, of course, give it another few spins. But it isn't as immediate nor as good as one of their peers return after an extended period out - Alice In Chains.
It'd be hard for this not to be an upgrade on Chris's last few p*ss poor solo efforts, also. I just don't think there's enough of Thayil's influence. Which was why I didn't enjoy DOTU as much as their previous efforts. DOTU's saving grace was Pretty Noose, which is one of their best songs. Maybe more listens will turn it around for me, but there wasn't much on evidence to make me want to go back. Having said that, I'm a big fan of theirs, so will try my best.

RodgersLFC

Richy06 wrote: »

This is such a let down. It's not even as good as Down On The Upside, which was a bit **** overall. Ah well.

I think DOTU is their best album so maybe thats why i like it. It does have a similar vibe to it in places.

seachto7

Richy06 wrote: »

So what we're left is a heavy Chris Cornell solo album, on first listen.

I see what you mean. I dunno, I still do hear SG all over this one though, especially the drums.......

Richy06

You really think DOTU is their best album? Have you ever had the pleasure of listening to Badmotorfinger, Superunknown or even Louder Than Love!?

Hey, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind on this. Just saying what I think. You guys can like the album all you want!

Of course the drums sound like Soundgarden. Of all the guys in the band, Matt's been most active from both a writing and performing standpoint the last decade and a half or so since they split. He's not neglected his chops and is still an incredibly good drummer. He also gets to let loose more than he does with Pearl Jam, which is great to hear. Pretty Noose alone is a powerhouse of understated drumming. But good and even great drumming doth not an album make. If the songs don't hold up....

RodgersLFC

Richy06 wrote: »

You really think DOTU is their best album? Have you ever had the pleasure of listening to Badmotorfinger, Superunknown or even Louder Than Love!?

Hey, I'm not trying to change anyone's mind on this. Just saying what I think. You guys can like the album all you want!

Of course the drums sound like Soundgarden. Of all the guys in the band, Matt's been most active from both a writing and performing standpoint the last decade and a half or so since they split. He's not neglected his chops and is still an incredibly good drummer. He also gets to let loose more than he does with Pearl Jam, which is great to hear. Pretty Noose alone is a powerhouse of understated drumming. But good and even great drumming doth not an album make. If the songs don't hold up....

Yep I've got all their albums and I think DOTU is their most diverse, consistent album. Its got a real weird, edgy quality to it that I love. There isnt a song on it that I dont like, which I cant say for any of the rest of their albums.

Superunknown and Badmotorfinger are also absolute classics of the 90's. I'm not a big fan of the stuff before Badmotorfinger though.

seachto7

Superunknown is my favourite. Not to say I dislike the others, but I could take or leave a good half of Louder than Love, and I'm not gone on their stuff before that....

Dermighty

One of my favourite all time bands!

With songs like Overfloater and still able to come out with stuff like hunted down they deserve another go!

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/11/06/showbiz/music/soundgarden-chris-cornell-vineyard/index.html?hpt=en_c1

Down On The Upside is my favourite. Zero Chance, Overfloater, Ty Cobb, all cool songs!

jack presley

I enjoyed it on first listen. Like most albums these days, probably a song or two too many as towards the end I was getting a bit bored but overall I was impressed.

seachto7

Halfway There seems out of place, but not the worst. Sounds more like a solo Chris song.......

Dermighty

I'd say Non-state Actor is my favourite song so far, it reminds me of Black Rain, which is a great song!

Richy06 wrote: »

You really think DOTU is their best album? Have you ever had the pleasure of listening to Badmotorfinger, Superunknown or even Louder Than Love!?

I've heard all their stuff, Badmotorfinger is my 2nd favourite and then Superunknown but Down on the Upside is still my favourite, by a mile!

seachto7

The first half of the album is great. There are a few near the end where I am kind of *meh*. I do like the last song as well.
Saying that, I can hear how some of the stuff would fit in well on a chris cornell solo album. Kim's playing is not as prominent as I'd like! You can hear Ben and Matt all over the album, so for me, it's a definite SG album. Saw them on Jools Holland too and they fecking rocked!!

Really great album, sure there's a little filler toward the end but there's not a bad track or one I'd be skipping when I re-listen to it which is an accomplishment in it's self. A lot of people are satirical of the album for being a little different to their older stuff. Really don't understand that mentality as any great band evolves over time and considering the direction in which the member s went during the bands break up period it was expected of them to do something a little different.

Cannot wait till next week, be a real joy to pick up new Soundgarden and Deftones records on the same day, something the 12 year old me dreamt of.

seachto7

I preordered it on itunes, but am going to have to go and buy the CD now as well! Looking forward to it. Even the *meh* songs are growing on me. It sounds like a natural progression when you take into consideration the music that has been made by the guys in between DOTU and King Animal. It's solid.

Richy06

Listened to it again today. It didn't grow on me anymore. Let me be clear; this has nothing to do with the fact it's different to their earlier material. The songs just aren't good enough. Devoid of any real hooks or huge riffs or all around great songs that permeated their previous back catalogue. It sounds like an album of filler or b-sides to me.

I agree that it does indeed sound like a logical progression has been made when the bandmembers various projects in the intervening years between their split and reformation have been taken into account. This sounds like a Chris Cornell solo album and it's pretty boring as a result. His output has declined in the last few years. I think the last album he was a part of that I enjoyed was the s/t Audioslave debut and if we're referring to material he composed, Euphoria Morning. This doesn't stack up to either of them. I'll still go catch them live if I'm able and it's a decent album for many other bands...but for them, it's just sub par.

But hey, people will love or hate it whatever I or anyone else says. Which is the beauty of music.

I really like how Cornell's solo albums tried to do something unexpected. Yes the results were mixed but it's nice to see an artist experiment with their sound amd not simply try to repeat the past. Some bands can produce great music that sounds similar for their entire career, AC/DC are masters of classic rock but let's be honest a lot of it sounds the same where as artists such as Cornell, Mike Patton and Greg Graffin have tried different things throughout their careers. I like the fact that when I pick up a record by them I'm not sure what to expect but at the same time I understand why so many people may dislike it for just that reason. Had the new album been more of the same I'd have been perfectly happy, Soundgarden alongside The Deftones produced the definitive album of my youth and I'd be content with an album that successfully ape the sound but King Animal tries to do something a little different and overall it suceeds. It may not be their finest work but it's head and shoulders above most albums released this year.

I really love this song Cornell wrote and performed for the film Machine Gun Preacher, don't think there's many other singers whose voice would suit it so well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxGMKvoEv1A

sham69

I really love this song Cornell wrote and performed for the film Machine Gun Preacher, don't think there's many other singers whose voice would suit it so well.

Amazing song, well written and the vocals are amazing.
I know I will get stick for this but i actually liked a few songs on the scream album, scream itself is a great tune.

It was a brave move by him, right it didnt work out but i got the feeling at the gig recently that he was still very proud of the effort.
There are very few people in rock today , if any that can write a song as good as cornell or sing it for that matter, he has an amazing voice.

I do agree slightly with the fact that the new album, as much as I enjoyed it , is lacking in a big hit or catchy tune.
Maybe I need to listen to it again.

I decided to listen to down on the upside again yesterday, its a fantastic album.
I hated it when it was first released (I had it on cassette )
Maybe it was coming off the back of superunknown which lets be honest is a classic album and it will be hard for them to beat it.
Anyway, heres hoping for a tour and a date over here.

RodgersLFC

sham69 wrote: »

Amazing song, well written and the vocals are amazing.
I know I will get stick for this but i actually liked a few songs on the scream album, scream itself is a great tune.

It was a brave move by him, right it didnt work out but i got the feeling at the gig recently that he was still very proud of the effort.
There are very few people in rock today , if any that can write a song as good as cornell or sing it for that matter, he has an amazing voice.

I do agree slightly with the fact that the new album, as much as I enjoyed it , is lacking in a big hit or catchy tune.
Maybe I need to listen to it again.

I decided to listen to down on the upside again yesterday, its a fantastic album.
I hated it when it was first released (I had it on cassette )
Maybe it was coming off the back of superunknown which lets be honest is a classic album and it will be hard for them to beat it.
Anyway, heres hoping for a tour and a date over here.

Theres actually a few songs from Scream that came across really well in his solo shows. Scream was ruined by Timbaland's awful production.

King Animal is great, I think. Maybe lacking in a "black hole sun" or "burden in my hand" but thats not necessarily a bad thing. Its a good, consistent record that has all the elements of their previous couple of albums - weird time signatures, off-beat guitar lines and great vocals. I'm really enjoying it.

ManOfMystery

Been listening to King Animal last night and today and have to say, I really do love it. I'm more into the later Soundarden stuff which was less heavy and more melodic (arguably!) than BadMotorFinger or the like, and I was also a big fan of Cornell's post-Soundgarden work, so perhaps this album is more appealing to me than the fans who like their heavier early stuff.

I agree that there's not really a huge stand-out Black Hole Sun or Pretty Noose type song on the album, but nonetheless I find the whole thing very polished whilst still retaining their signature sound. So far, Bones of Birds is my favourite, but Eyelids Mouth is pretty good too. Just a great album all round in my humble opinion.

rednik

Looking forward to getting the disc tomorrow and giving it a first listen.

seachto7

On a side note, I never sat down and listened to Carry On. Is it any good? His first solo album is fantastic I thought. Wasn't too gone on anything I heard off Scream.

jack presley

seachto7 wrote: »

On a side note, I never sat down and listened to Carry On. Is it any good? His first solo album is fantastic I thought. Wasn't too gone on anything I heard off Scream.

I'm not a fan of Carry On but then again I like Scream so what the hell do I know?

ManOfMystery

I thought Carry On was a better album than Euphoria Morning personally. Most of the songs, if not all, are on YouTube anyway if you want to listen.

seachto7

Just listening to Carry On now...

The Keeper is also a f**cking excellent song.

Like Suicide is one of my favourite SG songs. It has everything for me. The acoustic B side version of Like Suicide is just as good...