Things don't stay this frantic, however. If the term "grunge" ever meant anything, it couldn't be applied more to songs like "Mailman," "Limo Wreck," and the painfully grinding "4th of July" - all slogging, slow-motion riffs with dismal outlooks. Lyrically, it's all pretty despairing, but at least Soundgarden never faked their emotions. In fact, albums don't come much more from the heart than this. Don't pay attention to just the radio hits; this is a very deep album, basically with songs for everyone.
On the faster side of things, "Superunknown," the song, could have been a big radio hit for Soundgarden, a driving rocker with Cornell's piercing vocals in full effect. Songs like "Head Down" and the over-played "Black Hole Sun" have way more tunefulness, the former a refreshingly good and relaxed take on vocals by Cornell. Two of "Superunknown's" better songs include the short and punkish "Kickstand," and the mid-tempo, ultra-cool-riffed "Fresh Tendrils." Undoubtedly, there were many potential radio releases off "Superunknown," not that radio means everything, especially for these guys.
Overall, there are fifteen songs here which may seem hard to digest in one sitting. This is tough, dark stuff. Like their Seattle brethren, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden make music that is an acquired taste, it may not latch on as quickly as an STP or Nirvana song. Howver, it's definitely worth it to give "Superunknown" and Soundgarden a try. Hard rocking guitars and drum beats, smart lyrics, a painful outlook and sensitive attitude, all carried by Chris Cornell's raging voice - this, my friends, is Soundgarden. What this album lacks in adventure is more than made up for through sheer will of throwing themselves into these intense rockers with wild abandon and letting loose on the world. Tune your guitars down and tune in.
