Soundgarden - Ultramega Ok
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CD Details
Artist: SoundgardenEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1990-10-25
Music Label: Sst Records
Soundtracks:
- Flower
- All Your Lies
- 665
- Beyond The Wheel
- 667
- Mood For Trouble
- Circle Of Power
- He Didn't
- Smokestack Lightning
- Nazi Driver
- Head Injury
- Incessant Mace
- One Minute Of Silence
Music reviews of Ultramega Ok
Music Review: As Unique and Great as it Needs to Be
Rating: 4 Stars
One of the two albums before their big break Badmotorfinger and their international renown Superunknown, Ultramega OK is a dark and smashing melange of old school fried, Black-Sabbath meets Led Zeppelin melange of Punk rock, or something of that nature (it's hard to say, to be honest). Lacking the strained and lame attempts at classic heavy metal and progression of their average follow up (which in my opinion, is rather forgettable. Flame away if you want), Ultramega OK is a dark but grinding, infectious and awesome slab of GRUNGE (before it was a dirty word) that you would expect from Rock Gods Soundgarden. Cheesy to say so, but this album is great, much more than OK.
The production values are a bit noticeable here, as they lack a full bodied hit that their later albums had (remaster?). Despite this, don't let this get you down, because through songwriting they make these go away. The band here flogs through songs with speed and the wailing vocals of Chris Cornell, with pounding drums, dark guitar riffs, and an overall dark mood. Yes, it's much different from their other work, but then again, if you really know Soundgarden, you know that no work they do is alike, as it shows that they were willing to try new things and keep on progressing and expanding their own sound. So really, it's a new experience either way.
1. Flower-First single off the album. After an ethereal intro, the song has a very low, chunky, and sometimes gurgling groove drawn by the guitar. A great opener and a prime example how they can turn a basic set up into a four man orchestra of sound.
2. All Your Lies-A rather exhilarating track, filled with punk speed and soaring guitar riffs. After charging into it's wailing verses, It crawls along with menace, and roars into it's wailing, catchy chorus. It's got a wicked guitar solo too.
3. 665-The first of these backwards tracks aren't nothing too spectacular, but I have to admit they are pretty funny. Nothing too musical, but hey, backward tracks are great sonic novelty.
4. Beyond the Wheel-Such is the way of Soundgarden. When I first heard it, I thought it was awful. But it then creeped up on me again, and now I consider the song to be one of the best early SOundgarden songs you'll find, with a lumbering, grungy sea of guitars, and Cornell's Robert Plant on a brooding day vocals in top form. However, the production of the record does kind of bog it down, so it's not as powerful as it can be, considering how crushing the song can be played. (hint to record labels: Remaster!!!)
5. 667-See 665
6. Mood for Trouble-A moody, ever changing track, that goes from beautiful, yearning and slightly dark, gentle guitars, and melds into a chiming, psychedelic, and lightly acoustic passage. It has a melancholy, sunset type of feeling to it, which is all the more beautiful.
7. Circle of Power-The only song to feature somewhat else but Cornell on the vocals, and I have to admit, it's great! It's somewhat short, but it's an energetic and blasting punk song, and the vocals by (former) bassist Hiro Yamamoto are funny and sneering. The guitar solo here is absolutely killer, and the riffs churn through menacing melodies and mean riffs. A punk song that could have only been done by Soundgarden (also see: Ty Cobb, Face Pollution, Drawing Flies).
8. He Didn't-Of an absolute note here are the drums by Matt Cameron, which seem to drive the whole orchestra of guitars and bass along with it. Chris Cornell's vocals spew venomous and menacing vocals. I also like the passage in the near middle of it where the guitars take a life of their own and the instruments seem to sound confused.
9. Smokestack Lightning-One of the most underrated songs that Soundgarden has ever done, proving that they can pen some awesome covers. A raw, searing, soulful, and electric version of the master song by Howlin' Wolf (legend, by the way). The mid section bridge is raw blues, with an ascending riff and rad, psychedelic tinged blues-classic-metal guitar solo. Cornell gives off a soulful and searing performance.
10. Nazi Driver-Another song that uses the drum to drive the whole orchestra, apparently about cutting up Nazi's and putting them into stew. Well, it certainly sounds threatening at the least. Perhaps not too unique sounding, but a strong, kick @$$, and sometimes jazzy (!) melange of punk and classic rock.
11. Head Injury-AN early classic, here, another classic GRUNGE song with a wild vocal performance by Cornell. Great metallic guitar riffs and all, but I think the is the vocals, which are wild yet infectious.
12. Incessant Mace-Despite the tinny production values, this song kicks major @$$, an early composition that successfully blends enough minimalism and stripped down sound, while being a guitar mine filled with Led Zeppelin-Black Sabbath riffs, and searing off the wall guitar solos that only Kim could do. Cornell is great, but the music is the real star here. This one needs production touch up, because the music is so good.
13. One Minute of Silence-Alright, it's kind of filler, but it's pretty amusing at the least. Not much else to say, but it's just basically one minute of static.
I'll admit, it's not as strong as their other works, but it's still Soundgarden, and that pretty much means it's going to kick major @$$. Soundgarden are MY Rock Gods, so Understandably, the tracks here that are great are REALLY GOOD. the people who are fans of their later work (to you idiots complaining that it was selling out, it's called ARTISTIC PROGRESSION) may not like this. It's a different Soundgarden for sure, but for those who can't get enough, you will find that this diversion from their later sound to be quite refreshing. Rest assured, it's very, very good. Now that Soundgarden is back together I surely hope that they have some creative talent and great music left in their body. After Cornell's godawful Scream, I'm all the more ready.
Description of Ultramega Ok
13 track indie release.Alternative Rock CDs
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