Album Review: Soundgarden - Superunknown (1994)

This is one of my all time favorite albums, from my absolute favorite band. Soundgarden’s name is a fitting one, indicative of a band with a varied and exciting musical evolution throughout their career. Formed in 1984, they soon became one of Seattle, Washington’s premiere bands, and in 1988 became the first “grunge” band to sign with a major record label, three years before Nirvana’s Nevermind gave the scene worldwide popularity. After three excellent studio albums that each had a fairly consistent sound that heavily reflected influences like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, the band took a more experimental, slightly psychedelic approach with their fourth. Aside from the combined force of Chris Cornell’s unparalleled vocals and Kim Thayil’s unorthodox guitar work, much of the brilliance of the album lies in how all of songs sound like they belong together, but each also has something interesting to offer as a standalone track.

So feel the rhythm with your hands and let’s get started... 

1. Let Me Drown 

The album opener gets things grooving right out of the gate with a great Kim Thayil guitar riff. This riff, as well as the rest of the song, makes a clear statement that there will be plenty of Soundgarden’s signature mix of heavy grunginess on this album, but in a much more polished and refined form. And that’s just fine.




2. My Wave 

For some inexplicable reason, I used to not like this song. Perhaps that’s because it’s one of the lighter and more upbeat tracks on the album and doesn’t quite blend in with the others. At any rate, it’s grown on me a lot recently. It’s groovy as hell, and has some more great Thayil guitar work.




3. Fell on Black Days 

Things really start getting good here. Fantastic actually. This track’s wonderfully dark guitar riff is a major component of one of the most well-composed Soundgarden songs overall, but this isn’t the only factor at work. Long revered for the higher and rougher end of his extensive vocal range, Chris Cornell’s clean mid-range vocals are really given a chance to shine on this track. Throw in a cool Kim Thayil guitar solo hidden in the bridge, and you’ve got a track that blends Soundgarden’s metal and alternative rock sensibilities into a beautifully melancholy package.




4. Mailman
This track is something of a throwback to the grittier Soundgarden tracks of earlier albums, particularly their previous album Badmotorfinger. However the mix of Cornell’s softer clean vocals over the heavy guitar establishes that while the band is comfortable with their roots, this album represents a step forward in their overall sonic evolution.




5. Superunknown

This is one of the trippier songs on the album, and the first to give the higher end of Cornell’s vocal range center stage. On top of that, it also includes one of the best and most frenetic Kim Thayil guitar solos in any Soundgarden song, past or future.




6. Head Down

This is a relaxing song that slows down the album’s pace just the right amount, and its experimental sound foreshadows the overall vibe of Soundgarden’s following album Down on the Upside. Just because it’s slower doesn’t mean it’s boring though, as it had several points where the combined instruments sound like they could go off the rails at any moment, but never actually do. Bonus points for drummer Matt Cameron getting a chance to show off a bit with a short drum solo during the outro.




7. Black Hole Sun

In terms of the “signature” songs for the major Seattle grunge bands, this is certainly the best, or at least significantly better than “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. One of the more psychedelic songs of the album, the guitar isn’t as heavily pronounced, which adds to the song’s uniqueness. This is stoner rock at its finest, with another great guitar solo to boot.




8. Spoonman

A clear leading candidate for my favorite Soundgarden song of all time, every time I hear it I find a new favorite part of it. Any time that opening riff kicks in, no tabletop, car dashboard, etc. is safe from my hands. The song is infectiously groovy, with a great off time drum pattern and some really cool guitar work. Chris Cornell’s vocals bring it all home, and the song even takes time for, I shit you not, a spoons solo from the titular character, famed local Seattle street musician "Artis the Spoonman".




9. Limo Wreck

A great track with some great slow burn guitar riffs. This song gives Chris Cornell another chance to exercise his vocals as he carries the verses with his middle range before blasting off into the higher range for some soaring choruses.




10. The Day I Tried to Live

This is yet another really well-composed song, with verses that meld the drum grooves of Matt Cameron with the bass guitar of Ben Shepard with the restrained electric guitar of Kim Thayil with the low vocals of Chris Cornell perfectly. Then there are some more soaring choruses driven by Cornell’s higher range. What’s not to like?




11. Kickstand

This is a very short upbeat track that demonstrates how even when Soundgarden are clearly goofing around, they’re still excellent musicians.




12. Fresh Tendrils

In terms of its composition, this track is sort of like the mellower version of “Outshined” from Badmotorfinger, with enjoyably groovy and relaxed verses and choruses. Chris Cornell’s vocals are decidedly less intense on this song than its earlier counterpart, but are still undeniably excellent.




13. 4th of July

This is a haunting, dark, and beautifully distorted track, which is simultaneously unsettling and soothing. Chris Cornell’s low-range and high-range vocals layered to great effect, and the lyrics are as evocative as they are vague, referencing anything from nuclear war to the rapture depending on your interpretation. Whatever the meaning, this is certainly the kind of music I hope to hear at the end of the world.




14. Half

This is another example of the band messing around. It’s an enjoyably trippy track but unlike “Kickstand” this is an extremely weak standalone track, and the album’s only discernible weak spot.




15. Like Suicide

The closing track on the original release of the album, and the closest thing it has to a ballad. As far as album closers go this is a strong one, with great interplay between the guitars and drums.




16. She Likes Surprises

This is technically a bonus track on certain versions of the album, but one that I believe deserves to be part of the album, as it’s simply too well put together of a song to not be included. I would’ve stuck it between “The Day I Tried to Live” and “Kickstand”, or maybe just replaced “Half” with it. 




Superunknown may be my favorite album that was released by my favorite band, but it also represents a crucial turning point in the band’s musical direction, as their subsequent albums contained much less heavy metal influence and instead leaned more towards an experimental alternative rock feel. Aside from the impeccable talents of all four members, the variety of song styles and tones contained on this album are its biggest selling point, and it’s truly a treat to listen to, whether as a whole or split into it’s individual tracks.

Top Three Tracks:
1. Spoonman
2. 4th of July / Fell on Black Days (tie)
3. Superunknown / Black Hole Sun (tie)