Soundgarden – A-Sides
The music, the band, the legacy. All of this seemed to end in 1996 when the members of Seattle band Soundgarden decided to go their separate ways. Now in 1998, fans of the band can once again rejoice. Soundgarden has released A-Sides, a compilation of their greatest hits as well as one previously unreleased track.
A-Sides contains a good balance of songs from throughout the decade Soundgarden released its six CDs. For loyal followers of Soundgarden, this latest release may come as a disappointment, as most true fans would already own many of these songs. However, for people who have always liked Soundgarden but never bothered to purchase any of its CDs, A-Sides is the one to buy.
The sound throughout A-Sides brings out the true spirit of Soundgarden. Lead singer Chris Cornell’s powerful voice carries the CD along with guitarist Kim Thayil’s hard-core guitar riffs. With such hits as “Spoonman,” “Black Hole Sun, “Pretty Noose,” “Burden in my Hand” and the latest, “Bleed Together,” A-Sides acts as an appropriate sign-off from the band that brought us 10 years of grungy hard rock.
-Joanna Orland
Gratitude – Purple City
This independently released album by a Toronto-based four-piece band has all the ambiance and class of a high-speed, late-night trip to the bar in hot-ass August with a full bladder and that impossible-to-ignore gastro-intestinal feeling that makes something in the back of your throat tingle. From the back seat of your Monte Carlo, you yell at Nick to pull over ‘cause you’re gonna puke. Your afternoon bender has finally caught up with you stepping over Steve and Rick in the crowded back seat, you stumble onto the dusty shoulder with empties falling from your pockets. Jumping down the decline towards the culvert, you vomit, luckily missing your cross trainers. Mopping the corners of your mouth with the shoulder of your T-shirt you hurry to the car. “Better move it you idiot, or we’ll miss the cheap drinks,” Nick yells. Wobbling on top of the itch, you try to concentrate on taking a pee before climbing back in the car. Steve starts yelling at you in a drunken drawl and turning to hear what he’s saying, you feel lightheaded as you fall to the ground and then roll down the hill into the mess of your own vomit. Laughter follows and then the sound of Purple City pumps out at full blast, ruining the stereo in your car. You jump in and tell Nick to step on it, ruining the stereo in your car. You jump in and tell Nick to step on it, and play Our Lady Peace for the fifth time in 12 hours.
-Chris Schievink
Leave a Reply