Soundgarden. Though in the mid-80's, they were a hook-heavy rock band who wore their influences on their sleeves--- Black Sabbath, most notably, with more than a hint of Led Zeppelin in there, too--- in the mid-90's they gravitated more towards thoughtful sludge-rock with a hint of psychedelia. Hit the big-time for awhile with the sublime epic "Black Hole Sun," from their album Superunknown. A few more hits from that 1994 album followed. Down on the Upside, the 1996 album, had a few minor hits--- "Burden In My Hand," "Blow Up the Outside World"--- before the band called it quits in 1997.

Somewhere in there, they released a li'l something for the fans: an EP! Joy of joys. Songs From The Superunknown is a fun little five-track collection of rarities, album cuts, and alternate takes.

The only song that appears in the same form as it does on Superunknown is the title track, which has long been one of my two or three favorite cuts from that wondrous album. I think it's the chord progression in the bridge that makes it sound so very cool.

"Fell On Black Days" is listed as the "video version," although it sounds a lot more stripped-down than the album version. Great song, though, and I'm a huge fan of stripping.

Stripping down, I mean. Musically. Uh, slip of the tongue.

The rarities here, the songs that aren't found on any Soundgarden album, are "She Likes Surprises" and "Jerry Garcia's Finger." "She Likes Surprises," inexplicably included on international versions of Superunknown (but not in the US... why do international buyers get all the good stuff?), isn't incredibly great, but it has a cool chorus. "Jerry Garcia's Finger" is an utterly pointless sound collage. It's interesting for about a listen or so, I suppose, but otherwise it's awfully uninteresting.

So the tracks that I hadn't heard in one form or another kind of disappointed. Soundgarden fans dig "She Likes Surprises," and as a Soundgarden fan, I was hoping I would too... it's fairly cool in its own right, but nothing to shout about. And "Jerry Garcia's Finger"... well...

But there's no need to fret. Included on Songs From The Superunknown is an acoustic version of "Like Suicide"! Oh, joyous day! I love acoustic versions of previously released songs--- as an acoustic guitarist who spends his days reinterpreting hard-rock numbers through a guitar with a hole in it--- and "Like Suicide" is one of my favorite songs ever.

The acoustic "Like Suicide" is as I had thought. It's Chris Cornell accompanied by a lone acoustic guitar--- whether Cornell or guitarist Kim Thayil is playing said guitar, I can't tell--- sans band. It's a very interesting listen, and very cool to hear the reinterpretation, but it doesn't eclipse the album version. The song just doesn't seem as fleshed-out without Kim Thayil's spine-tingler of a guitar solo and Matt Cameron's John-Bonham-huge drum fills.

Songs From The Superunknown is a nice little treat for fans, even if casual listeners might be left up in the air. Fans, keep your eyes peeled for this one--- I picked it up for six dollars and was overjoyed to get it into my grubby little paws. As a fan, I like it fine--- don't listen to it as much as my Soundgarden albums, but it's a cool little disc to pick up.






Recommended: Yes