Soundgarden - King Animal

ManOfMystery

Just listening to 'Halfway There' on KA, it's a bit reminiscent of his Carry On stuff. But quite good.

The more I listen to Bones of Birds, the more I think it's the Fell on Black Days of this album. Slightly melancholic in sound, and a little haunting.

Sugarlumps

God this album just sounds....well very dated.

Kess73

Been listening to the album on and off all week in an attempt to see if it would grow on me, but it just sounds dull.

There is some nice drumming on it, some nice guitar work etc., but very little that is actually grabbing me or making me want to wallow in it.


Really sounds a lot more like a heavier Chris Cornell album than a Soundgarden album.


Think if I want to spend money on an album that wears it's 70's influences in such an obvious manner I will get the new Graveyard album because that has the same 70's sound coming through it but also has a spark to it.

Was really hoping to like this album as Soundgarden are one of those bands that I have been listening to for over 20 years.

messinkiapina

Kess73 wrote: »

Really sounds a lot more like a heavier Chris Cornell album than a Soundgarden album.

That's my initial impression too.

I preferred their earlier sound, even though those albums had some sketchy stuff in there too amongst the really brilliant tracks like 'Loud Love' and 'Hands all over'. Badmotorfinger was consistently brilliant though, I'd put that down as the best album to come out of the whole Seattle scene of the 90s. Superunknown and Down on the upside were decent albums too, but they still left me pining for their earlier sound .

jack presley

I'm liking KA more and more each listen. Mu current favourites are A Thousand days Before and Bones of Birds

Richy06

ManOfMystery wrote: »

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.

That is actually hilarious. Thanks for the real life lulz.

What I meant when I said there were no 'songs' on the album, I didn't mean singles. This whole thing sound more uninspired and just, well, boring the more I hear it. It doesn't stack up in terms of quality to any of their earlier output, apart from maybe Ultramega OK and the Screaming Life/Fopp EPs, which were rough as ****.

ManOfMystery

Richy06 wrote: »

That is actually hilarious. Thanks for the real life lulz.

What's hilarious about it? You have your musical preferences, I have mine. If you want to elevate yourself up to superior music virtuoso extraordinaire then by all means go right ahead ............................. but the rest of us are happy to accept that most people have their own tastes and can respect that not everyone else will share them. Would be a pretty boring world if we all thought exactly the same.

superblu

Soundgarden have never again hit the heights since the release of bad motor finger. The opening riff of outshined still sends shivers down the spine 20 years later.

Richy06

ManOfMystery wrote: »

What's hilarious about it? You have your musical preferences, I have mine. If you want to elevate yourself up to superior music virtuoso extraordinaire then by all means go right ahead ............................. but the rest of us are happy to accept that most people have their own tastes and can respect that not everyone else will share them. Would be a pretty boring world if we all thought exactly the same.

That's not what I'm getting at, at all. I listen to an awful, awful lot of stuff, but I'm not putting my opinion above yours. I just can't fathom how anyone with a set of working ears can think that. Maybe it holds a special place for you - maybe it soundtracked a good time in your life or something along those lines. But if we're being objective, I just don't know how anyone can think that. But fair enough! More power to you for making your own mind up.

Trust me, I don't look down on others for the music they like - unless they truly do listen to the worst s**t this world has to offer. So sorry if that's how it came accross. I did laugh though, because I though you were messing. But you're serious....so ok. Jog on.

jack presley

Sugarlumps wrote: »

God this album just sounds....well very dated.

Isn't that what Soundgarden are all about? All their stuff has a 70's vibe to it.

seachto7

It sounds like they picked up where they left off to me. But all their stuff has a Sabbath 70s vibe to it.........

Dermighty

Taree is one of the best on the album and besides the first track "I've been gone too long" it's definitely the most single worthy song.

My favourites are still non-state actor, blood on the valley floor and taree.

TheUsual

Just halfway through the album now, thanks for the thread.
I might have missed this album unless Cormac Battle played it by chance on the radio.

I'm the biggest Chris Cornell fan, even his recent Timbaland and Bond film theme tunes. He can do no wrong in my eyes, and Soundgarden were like Muhammed Ali - as they missed some of their most productive years with drugs and creative arguments to blame (ok, well Ali was barred but you know what I mean).

I will call around to anyone's house who disagrees with this view of course.


On Jools Holland last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JfiAUnUIq8

rednik

Gave it a spin at 5am this morning on the way to work and I thought it sounded damn good.

jack presley

TheUsual wrote: »

On Jools Holland last week.

Good performance. Awful cardigan.

TheUsual

jack presley wrote: »

Good performance. Awful cardigan.

Just watched that video again .... you may have a point.

Then again, cardigan are tricky things to pull off unless you are in a folk band !

I think Soundgarden get a lot of unfair slack over their sound. Of the three big bands to emerge from the movement Soundgarden to me we're always the most fun. They were the band you'd grab a 6 pack with and head off down into the woods to listen to Sabbath loudly with and get drunk. Pearl Jam were the more highbrow and serious band concerned with the world around us and as such never quite as fun. Finally Nirvana were the well to do kids who liked to think the world was against them, the disfranchised you who were angry but weren't quite sure at who.

The new album has a very 70s vibe to it and it works, it's not trying to preach or get some message across its simply about having a good time, something a lot of rock groups have forgotten how to do

Dermighty

TheUsual wrote: »

On Jools Holland last week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3JfiAUnUIq8

They sound outstanding!!!

Looking forward to (hopefully!) a Dublin gig!

Nea

Absolutely loving it.

I felt like a child walking into HMV on Sat to purchase the CD. There is nothing like the anticipation of a new album you have waited so long for,its usually not a 16 year wait though.

By Crooked Steps,Bones of Birds and Eyelids Mouth the standouts for me,amazing tracks!

I dont find it sounds like Chris' solo stuff with except maybe Halfway There/Black Saturday.

It has been on constant rotation since Sat and its better on each listen. I for one am delighted as I was setting myself up to be disappointed.
Hopefully we get a show here next year. I was lucky to see them twice this year but I really want to hear the new stuff lilve.

spaceboy

Fantastic album, took a few listens to get fully into it but loving it now.
Standout tracks at the moment are "By crooked steps" " Non-state actor" & " Rowing". Hope they play a gig here in 2013.

calex71

Soundgarden were always very technical especially in there later efforts this album as said has a 70's vibe to it, and to be honest it's the most natural sounding thing they have ever done.

I was expecting this to be pure rubbish and instead I could not tag it as a cash in even if i tried, "Bones of Birds" is the stand out track for me so far!!!!!

seachto7

Nea wrote: »

Absolutely loving it.

I felt like a child walking into HMV on Sat to purchase the CD. There is nothing like the anticipation of a new album you have waited so long for,its usually not a 16 year wait though.

Same here. I haven't felt this giddy buying an album in years. I wasn't even that giddy buying Death Magnetic.......

seachto7

Here's an hours performance from the David Letterman show. It has some new tracks in there. Sound is a bit ropey for the first few songs, but gets better as it goes along. As usual with SG, the performance could be see as a bit "ropey", but I like it anyhow..

http://www.cbs.com/shows/liveonletterman/artist/194340/soundgarden/

ManOfMystery

seachto7 wrote: »

Here's an hours performance from the David Letterman show. It has some new tracks in there. Sound is a bit ropey for the first few songs, but gets better as it goes along. As usual with SG, the performance could be see as a bit "ropey", but I like it anyhow..

http://www.cbs.com/shows/liveonletterman/artist/194340/soundgarden/

Watched that last night and it was pretty good, I actually didn't think any of it was ropey - they sounded a lot better than other times I've heard them live. Cornell was amazing on Beyond the Wheel.

seachto7

I thought the sounds was dodgy on the first few songs, but ironed itself out after. Looked like Chris was as much concentrating on playing the riffs right on the new stuff as he was singing. Pretty good set overall, and good to see the new stuff fits in nicely with the older tracks. One track I did not recognise. It was early on, could be an old one maybe. I don't have ultramega. I don't like their style on it, but Beyond the Wheel sounds great live, better than the recording imo.

I would love to see them do their own gig in Ireland. They would hardly fill the O2 would they, at this stage? Maybe the Olympia....?

ManOfMystery

Was it a bluesy type track? I didn't recognise that one either.

Temaz

Love it on first listen so far

jack presley

ManOfMystery wrote: »

Was it a bluesy type track? I didn't recognise that one either.

Here's the set list

1. Worse Dreams
2. By Crooked Steps
3. Incessant Mace
4. Beyond The Wheel
5. Taree
6. A Thousand Days Before
7. Eyelid’s Mouth
8. Non-State Actor
9. Fell On Black Days
10. Rowing

seachto7

Yup, song no 3 is the one I have not heard before....

Dermighty

They didn't sound good in that video at all!