Soundgarden - King Animal (Seven Four/Republic)
Just to get this out of the way: Soundgarden is my favorite band and has been for over a decade. I remember where I was when they decided to call it quits in 1997. I have “Loud Love” tattooed on my arm. Chris Cornell is my favorite singer. Badmotorfinger is my favorite record. Ever. However, I do not have posters of them surrounding my bed. I do not know details about their personal lives. I do not have their ringtones on my phone. This will not be a fan’s biased review.
The thing with Cornell is, well, he's really unbalanced. For someone born to be a frontman, with the voice of a soulful air-raid siren, who is a talented lyricist to boot; you’d think his musical resume would be more dependable. For real, the guy wrote “Jesus Christ Pose” and “Say Hello to Heaven,” which are better than anything I’ve heard on the radio since the 90‘s. And yet, here's how his career stacks up so far:
Previous Soundgarden records: Excellent.
Temple of the Dog: Incredible.
Audioslave: Tolerable.
Solo: I only bother with Euphoria Morning and that one’s just okay.
I guess you could argue that same point using Robert Plant instead of Cornell. Do you own any of Plant’s solo work after Led Zeppelin (besides the amazing Raising Sand collaborative album with Allison Krauss)? How about Maynard James Keenan of Tool? Did you even bother with A Perfect Circle or Pusicfer? Not me.
With Soundgarden’s first album in 15 years, the result is a little muddy. All of the guys (Cornell, Kim Thayil, Matt Cameron, Ben Shepherd) are well into their forties or starting their fifties. If they had put out an album where they were wearing Hot Topic gear and makeup to appeal to a younger audience, I would have laughed at them. It would be fake as shit. It would be Jane’s Addiction. I’d be embarrassed. It'd be the same thing as when you see a teenage girl and her mother walking down the street and the mother is desperately trying to compete. Come on lady, give it up. Stop shopping at Forever 21 and Wet Seal. Soundgarden act their age on this record which, despite my tone, is a good thing.
The first single, “Been Away Too Long,” induced a cringe before I’d even heard a note. Like, “C’mon dude. You haven’t put out a new record with these guys in 15 years and your first single has a generic, obvious title like that?” But upon further listening, I uncrossed my arms and admitted to myself that I liked it. Now I love the song, even if the title is a no-brainer. It just grew on me.
The second track, “Non-State Actor,” had a definite Audioslave feel to it. Good groove, nice rhythm with the vocals, but some of the lyrics and the chorus are just cheesy. “And you are the cure/ I am the drug / And we settle for a little bit more than everything/ We’re not elected / But we will speak / We’re not the chosen / But we believe / And we settle for a little bit more than everything.” Didn’t really sound like a Soundgarden song to me. Sounded like the corn he wrote for Audioslave, a la “I Am the Highway,” even though this song is far less Mom-friendly than those were.
“By Crooked Steps,” “Taree,” and “Attrition” are all solid tracks. Definitely playlist worthy. “Rowing” is the final track and by far the best on the album. The song’s driving force is a weird Ben Shepherd bass lick and Thayil’s unmistakable overdriven, feedback-laden guitar wankery. Cornell follows with a looped chorus and some of the best vocal work he’s done since 1996’s Down On the Upside. “Rowing” is air conditioning on an August afternoon. It’s welcome and true experimentation, and though the song is relatively slow until an ending buildup, it is as catchy as “Been Away Too Long.” It is excellent.
My specific problem with King Animal is as follows. After I had run through the 13 songs I ventured into the living room and watched Bridesmaids. That shouldn’t have happened. I should’ve been paralyzed. King Animal actually got me back into Down On the Upside, for the wrong reason. I wanted more than King Animal was offering. I was still hungry. I had a similar reaction as I did with Audioslave (even though King Animal wipes the floor with all of that band's albums). Instead of triggering an instant coronary, the album has merely grown on me. I wasn’t doing back flips. I wasn’t playing the record on repeat. I wasn’t taping posters to the wall around my bed--which is exactly what I’d wanted to do. I wanted to react as I would have 15 years ago. But that was then. The album has forced me to realize that I am in fact 30, not 15. Don’t misunderstand me though. King Animal isn’t bad at all. It isn’t even mediocre. It’s a good album. But times have changed. These songs are nowhere near as memorable as any of the lead singles or sleeper hits from Soundgarden's previous major label releases. But check out the album anyway--it’s worth your time and money.
Soundgarden are not trying to hop into a DeLorean DMC and travel back to 1991. Soundgarden is not the girl she was fifteen years ago. She’s hit her midlife stride and still has the goods. She could easily turn heads in tight jeans and tanktops but unlike some of her contemporaries she doesn’t find the need to. She’s already done that and for once in her life she’s content with a sweater and some corduroys. There is definitely something to admire in that.