I caught the moon today

Continuing my trip back in time through the album charts

26/05/96 : Down On The Upside - Soundgarden


I've always thought I'd probably like Soundgarden, but never quite got round to checking them out.  I mean, their debut album only came out 30 years ago - you can't expect me to rush these things.  But, finally, we're here - am I actually going to like them?

Well.  Hmmm.  I like the sound, but I can't say I particularly liked any of the tracks - they all feel a bit lazily thrown together to me.  And yes, I appreciate that grunge isn't exactly supposed to sound perfect but the best examples have had a lot of work going into making them not perfect and I just didn't get that impression here.  I was impressed by the amount of swearing on "Ty Cobb" though - a fine effort lads.  Apart from that, it's all drifted into obscurity already, I'm afraid.  Which is a shame - and no, we never owned it, taking us down to 9/32.

We're at #7 with a new entry this week, starting a run of a paltry six weeks.  Which, considering that Superunknown (their previous album) spent 39 weeks in the chart is really quite some drop in chart longevity.  The top five this week were George, Manics (another new entry), Alanis, Oasis and Ash - with no other new entries in the top ten.  The next new entry was The Wildhearts (#16) who are impressively still churning out the albums after all those years.

Wikipedia is going to have loads on this, isn't it?  192 milliPeppers - things could have been worse! I couldn't be bothered reading it all but the bits I did read suggest that they weren't the happiest bunch at the time (and that would seem to be backed up by the fact that they broke up in 1997 for 15 years).  It sounds like it was received well enough critically and although it didn't set the world alight over here, it did fine in the US getting to #2 and selling 1.6 million copies.  One odd fact that did jump out at me - "the album's other commercially released single, "Ty Cobb", did not chart, however its acommpanying B-side, "Rhinosaur", also from the album, did chart".  How does that work?!?  Probably something to do with the chart over there being based on radio plays or something, but I can't be bothered investigating.

"Customers also listened to" Temple Of The Dog, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots and Screaming Trees - all bands I know more by reputation than familiarity.  Which is where Soundgarden are going to stay, I'm afraid - at least until I get round to listening to Superunknown.

19/05/96 - Past its sell-by date
02/06/96 - One top track, the rest not quite so top

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