Down on the upside....

Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
edited December 2011 in Other Music
One album I had never listened to until recently.
I bought a copy the other day and I must say it is an amazing album.
Wish I'd gotten into it earlier, somehow I ignored it as I was listening to other albums.
Thoughts?
Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
Post edited by Unknown User on

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  • Posts: 110
    Actually I did the same thing this summer before seeing Soundgarden live in Toronto. It was the only one I never listened to as growing up I always preferred their late 80s early 90s stuff and was never that into Superunkown so I figured Down On The Upside was more of the same. But yeah I was pleasantly suprised by Down On The Upside!
    Hamilton, ON 9/13/2005
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  • Posts: 86
    My favorite Soundgarden album. Its long, diverse, progressive, and dark. Its also the peak of Chris Cornels voice in my opinion. Favorite song on the album are probably, Never the machine forever, Tighter and Tighter, Overfloater, Zero Chance, An Unkind, Boot camp.

    What are yours?
    Toronto 9/11/2011
    Ottawa 9/14/2011
    Amsterdam 6/26/2012!
  • Posts: 8,684
    I think DOTUS was overlooked, even by hardcore Soundgarden fans, back in the day.

    It failed, primarily, for TIMING, if you ask me.
    It was the year after the year after grunge "died". After Kurt. After pop crap started coming out (sugar ray, smash mouth, third eye blind, matchbox 20) ... it was a bit of a case of "irrelevancy" ...

    sadly, it is probably their most overlooked and alternately, their most well produced and diverse album.
    My buddy says Chris wrote and actually played the guitar parts for the majority of the songs.

    My favorites are Switch Opens, and NO ATTENTION.

    NO FUCKING ATTENTION KICKS SO MUCH FUCKING ASS!
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • Posts: 5,399
    DriftingByTheStorm wrote:
    It failed, primarily, for TIMING, if you ask me.
    It was the year after the year after grunge "died". After Kurt. After pop crap started coming out (sugar ray, smash mouth, third eye blind, matchbox 20) ... it was a bit of a case of "irrelevancy" ...

    I don't think so myself, I mean, it came out like 2 months before No Code, so it wasn't the sole rock album in a sea of pop music. I think the problem (although I love it) is that it got away from what Soundgarden was all about, leaning more towards vocal melodies and away from guitar riffs. Kim Thayil was largely on the sidelines for the album, writing just one song. They were sounding less like Soundgarden and more like Chris Cornell solo for a good portion of the album. I also think the single choices weren't the best.

    The album did well though, it reached #2 on the Billboard charts (reached #1 in AUS and NZ) and got pretty good reviews. I didn't even know the album wasn't too highly regarded until a few years ago, because within the little sphere I occupied at the time it was kind of a big deal. Superunknown was a very tough act to follow though. DOTU is a great album, but it just doesn't really have the songs that Superunknown had, no instant classics. It works best as a complete album, but at a time when MTV was still a very powerful force in music (since they still played music) a great album didn't matter without some standout songs.
    "See a broad to get dat booty yak 'em, leg 'er down, a smack 'em yak 'em!"
  • TigerTown, USA Posts: 23,462
    Great record. One of the best SG records.
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  • Posts: 8,684
    SatansFuton wrote:
    show previous quotes

    I don't think so myself, I mean, it came out like 2 months before No Code, so it wasn't the sole rock album in a sea of pop music. I think the problem (although I love it) is that it got away from what Soundgarden was all about, leaning more towards vocal melodies and away from guitar riffs. Kim Thayil was largely on the sidelines for the album, writing just one song. They were sounding less like Soundgarden and more like Chris Cornell solo for a good portion of the album. I also think the single choices weren't the best.

    The album did well though, it reached #2 on the Billboard charts (reached #1 in AUS and NZ) and got pretty good reviews. I didn't even know the album wasn't too highly regarded until a few years ago, because within the little sphere I occupied at the time it was kind of a big deal. Superunknown was a very tough act to follow though. DOTU is a great album, but it just doesn't really have the songs that Superunknown had, no instant classics. It works best as a complete album, but at a time when MTV was still a very powerful force in music (since they still played music) a great album didn't matter without some standout songs.

    I guess i can agree with this take.
    I'm not saying it didn't chart, or wasn't loved by SG fans.

    I just feel like, remembering what the world was like at the time of it's release, it kinda just got lost in the shuffle.

    People who really liked SG (just like those who REALLY liked PJ dug No Code) were in to it. Most others could have cared less. If it was a "fan" who just grooved on Rusty Cage, and Outshined, or Jesus Christ Pose, then no ... he\she wasn't going to go for it.

    But still, we are talking, as you said, about that "circle" that knew enough to even give it a listen. The world AT LARGE seemed to give two shits about Soundgarden in 1996, the same way they really gave two shits about No Code. I mean, come one ... Vs was huge, Vitalogy was relatively big ... but none of my friends (even most who were "grunge" freaks) gave a flying FUCK about No Code ... the closest i got to a "give a crap" among my highschool crowd, was a kid who was hip to the scene, who said that Present Tense was the best song on the album ... but still, even i don't think he really cared about it.

    I think the world was just "moving past" "grunge" and "seattle" at that point. For instance, one of my friends, whom spent countless hours discussing Green River, Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam, Mad Season, Alice In Chains, all kinds of shit with me ... FUCK, he had a goddamn bootleg Temple of the Dog shirt with Stardog on the front (bootlegged by the now defunct Rock n Roll Emporium of Charlotte, NC, woot woot) ... hell this kid, by 1996 had cut his long hair short, had punched holes in his ear for some stupid ass studs, and was on to listening to Wu Tang and other HipHop shit. I DEFINITELY remember him giving approximately ONE flying fuck about DOTUS, and THIS was the kid who was at the store to get Superunknown with me (skipping school) the day of release, just a few years before.

    Shit just changed.

    THATS what i'm tryin to say.

    Forgot to give love to ZERO CHANCE.
    :D
    If I was to smile and I held out my hand
    If I opened it now would you not understand?
  • Posts: 86
    SatansFuton wrote:
    show previous quotes

    I don't think so myself, I mean, it came out like 2 months before No Code, so it wasn't the sole rock album in a sea of pop music. I think the problem (although I love it) is that it got away from what Soundgarden was all about, leaning more towards vocal melodies and away from guitar riffs. Kim Thayil was largely on the sidelines for the album, writing just one song. They were sounding less like Soundgarden and more like Chris Cornell solo for a good portion of the album. I also think the single choices weren't the best.

    The album did well though, it reached #2 on the Billboard charts (reached #1 in AUS and NZ) and got pretty good reviews. I didn't even know the album wasn't too highly regarded until a few years ago, because within the little sphere I occupied at the time it was kind of a big deal. Superunknown was a very tough act to follow though. DOTU is a great album, but it just doesn't really have the songs that Superunknown had, no instant classics. It works best as a complete album, but at a time when MTV was still a very powerful force in music (since they still played music) a great album didn't matter without some standout songs.

    I really agree with you about how it works best as a full start to finish album experience. it feels like a deep, and dark ride that has allot of great and unique moments. And bootcamp is the probably the best album closing songs ive ever heard. That and Indifference of course. Sometimes me and my friends just sit down and have some drinks and talk while listening to it on vinyl. Its a great time.
    Toronto 9/11/2011
    Ottawa 9/14/2011
    Amsterdam 6/26/2012!
  • Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Deep93 wrote:
    My favorite Soundgarden album. Its long, diverse, progressive, and dark. Its also the peak of Chris Cornels voice in my opinion. Favorite song on the album are probably, Never the machine forever, Tighter and Tighter, Overfloater, Zero Chance, An Unkind, Boot camp.

    What are yours?

    So hard to decide, I love every song.
    Standouts...Pretty Noose, Rhinosaur, Zero Chance, Dusty, Blow up the outside world, Burden in my hand, No attention.
    Shit I've almost named the whole album lol
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Starting to love the song 'tighter & tighter'.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Posts: 86
    Thoughts_Arrive wrote:
    Starting to love the song 'tighter & tighter'.
    One of my favorites! Also Check out overfloater very closely, Its the climax in my opinion. Let me know what you think.
    Toronto 9/11/2011
    Ottawa 9/14/2011
    Amsterdam 6/26/2012!
  • Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    Deep93 wrote:
    show previous quotes
    One of my favorites! Also Check out overfloater very closely, Its the climax in my opinion. Let me know what you think.

    I love the end of Overfloater.
    I've listened to the album so many times this weekend.
    Listening to it now for the second time in a row.
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Posts: 795
    The album isnt really single friendly but as a whole it is an evolution of soundgardens sound so to speak....and a terrific album..some of matts drumming is incredible in it especially never the machine forever! and Boot camp is a terrific closer! Definitely a band that evolved much like PJ while still being incredible!
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  • Posts: 1,982
    I'M OVERFLOAAAATING NOOOOOW.
    Beavis: All my friends are brown and red? What does that mean?
    Butthead: It means that his friends are like turds and that they like suck.
    Beavis: Heh heh. Oh yeah. Yeah! Get those spoons out of my face before I shove them up your butt!
    Butthead: Huh huh.
  • Posts: 11,581
    First 7 tracks! OMG, rest of the album still great though
  • Posts: 86
    Brisk. wrote:
    First 7 tracks! OMG, rest of the album still great though

    Yeah thats what most people think, The last 7 are my favorites. Tighter and Tighter!, Overfloater! Switch opens! Bootcamp! Those are the masterpieces on the album in my opinion.
    Toronto 9/11/2011
    Ottawa 9/14/2011
    Amsterdam 6/26/2012!
  • Posts: 86
    Brisk. wrote:
    First 7 tracks! OMG, rest of the album still great though

    Yeah thats what most people think, The last 7 are my favorites. Tighter and Tighter!, Overfloater! Switch opens! Bootcamp! Those are the masterpieces on the album in my opinion.
    Toronto 9/11/2011
    Ottawa 9/14/2011
    Amsterdam 6/26/2012!
  • Posts: 5,642
    My favourite Soundgarden album. I think it really showcases the intricate and unusual song writing from the band. A very unique vibe on this album.
  • Posts: 1,170
    Deep93 wrote:
    show previous quotes
    One of my favorites! Also Check out overfloater very closely, Its the climax in my opinion. Let me know what you think.
    those are my 2 favs from the record. all the b-sides that came from superunknown are killer, though. d.o.t.u. is definitely a great record. the growth that they showed record after record was astonishing. i'm definitely looking forward to may of next year!
    "It's best to live in grace before you're forced to." EV- 10/09/2014 
  • Melbourne, Australia Posts: 15,165
    I enjoy this album more than Superunknown.
    It's my summer album of choice 8-)
    Adelaide 17/11/2009, Melbourne 20/11/2009, Sydney 22/11/2009, Melbourne (Big Day Out Festival) 24/01/2014
  • Posts: 3,131
    easily my favorite soundgarden album...its actually my favorite non-pearl jam album in the world. brilliant. very otherwordly
    2006: Hartford
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    2010: Hartford, Boston, MSG 1 & 2
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