Customer Reviews

Ocean of Confusion: Songs of Screaming Trees 89-96

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

So you've always wondered about Screaming Trees but never got any? Well here you go. A very good and lengthy collection from mostly the last three albums. The first track is from the "Something About Today" EP, the next three are from "Uncle Anesthesia", the next seven are off the excellent "Sweet Oblivion" album, then three non-album tracks, and five from "Dust". My only complaints are, only three songs from "Uncle Anesthesia", and where is "All I Know" from the last album? But, what's here is awesome stuff, from a very underrated band. Personally, I like Screaming Trees just as much as Pearl Jam or Soundgarden, and will listen to them until my "Dying Days".

The Screaming Trees are well known to close watchers of the alternative scene in the US in the early nineties. While other Pacific Northwest bands like Nirvana and Soundgarden were achieving nationwide success, the Trees attained notoriety only among the more discerning fans. Part of the problem was that while they cuts some amazingly great tracks, none of their individual albums rated as indisputable masterpieces. Their first several albums especially contain many weak tracks alongside utter gems. Even their two best albums, SWEET OBLIVION and DUST, had their weak moments. The problem is that the Pacific Northwest scene was on one level focused on album-oriented bands, while the Screaming Trees made great singles but less-than-spectacular albums. Their other great disadvantage was that they were simply not a good-looking group. Some of their were big, either in height or girth, and the frankly looked a bit menacing.

That is why OCEAN OF CONFUSION is a nearly perfect introduction to the Screaming Trees. And although I've enjoyed their albums, I find I almost never listen to any of their music except this compilation disc. In fact, if someone gets this and is truly blown away by what they hear, the next album I recommend them getting is not one of the individual albums, but a second compilation, ANTHOLOGY: SST YEARS 1985-89. That disc covers their earlier years just as this one covers the second half of their career. If one wants more after that, I recommend instead of more Screaming Trees, exploring the solo albums of the band's singer and songwriter Mark Lanegan, especially WHISKEY FOR THE HOLY GHOST.

But though the individual albums weren't great as albums, all contained a few spectacularly great singles. This anthology collects enough of these to prove that while other bands of the time like Nirvana, Mudhony, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains achieved more popular success, they were the equal of any of these bands musically and probably their superior. They in fact exerted considerably influence on Nirvana in general and Kurt Cobain in particular, who was quite the fan of Mark Lanegan. For anyone who wants to own the central works of alt-rock from the time when it moved from the periphery of popular music to its center, this album is indispensable. Few of the songs will be familiar, though "Nearly Lost You" was a minor hit at the time.

Another remarkable thing about this album is that there is utterly no filler. Every song is at least very good, while a number of absolutely spectacular. "Nearly Lost You," as I mentioned, was a minor hit, but should have been a major one. If you aren't hooked after the first two songs on the album, "Who Lies in Darkness" and "Alice Said," there isn't much point in going further. The rest of the album is more of the same, almost all of it very nearly as good. And some of it better, in my humble opinion. The three songs "Nearly Lost You," "Dollar Bill," and "More or Less" are about as good as any three consecutive songs you'll ever hope to find on a grunge album.

If you don't know the Screaming Trees but enjoy any of the bands associated with the Seattle scene in the early nineties, you will love this album. I personally consider this to be some of the greatest music produced by that movement. No one who loves music should be without this.

If you don't have any other albums from the band, this is the place to start. It's a shame that they didn't get more attention then they did, but "Nearly Lost You" from the platinum "Singles" soundtrack helped their 2nd major label LP "Sweet Oblivion" sell around 300,000 copies. There is plenty here to love, and shouldn't be looked over. But where is some of their earlier stuff and All I Know from Dust? I guess Sony couldn't get their hands on their earlier stuff. But what you get it still great.

A well put together compilation, the bonus tracks make for a worthwhile investment even if you already have some or all of the albums. However, one question remains- where the heck is Bed Of Roses? It was their hightest charting track on the radio, afterall.

I came across this group quite by accident... turns out I was working with one of the band members and didn't know it... reading the news one day I saw that so and so had a birthday that day... asked my friend if that was him and he admitted it... then we started talking about his music, he burned a cd of a few of his favorites... I was hooked... bought this album and plan to buy Anthology: SST Years 1985-1989 next, based on his recommendation. These guys have a great sound. Love the sound, it's mellow, classic and vibrant... it reaches out to one at many levels and is not offensive, obnoxious, depressing or disgusting... it's reflective, melodic... Traveler, Dying Days, and Paperback Bible are some of my favorites... looking forward to listening to the other albums... these guys are extremely underrated...

I found this band through listening to QOTSA and the things Lanegan did with them. I'm glad I discovered this unique form of grunge rock, if one can call it that. My favorites were disappearing and Traveler. Some of the songs can be a bit bland, but overall this is a great CD.

Really, I mean I'm amazed they never really made it big..maybe their timing was off or it was fate but in many way's they are as good as the other seattle bands that hit the big time. I kinda bought this disc on a whim...heard the sound clips and sounded slightly different/better than average. I like the vocals..very unique and the music is..although not maybe a 100% original (think late 60's psychadelic meets grunge) they never sound like something you have heard before.
Overall, I would reccomend the album if you like pearl jam or the seattle sound from the early nineties. The album was a lot better than I had expected and I was suprised I had never heard of the band before last year...too bad it took so long.

Good compilation - needs "Halo of Ashes", "Look At You", "All I Know" and some others to be more complete.

I really thought in the middle 90s that grunge movement would last forever because of the honest, true and sober proposal this movement seemed to offer, however it happened to be an efimer fashion consume product, but goods things came from this movement and great musical elements prevail on this days, Screaming Trees formed in the middle 80s were one of that bands, with all sort of influences such as Cream, Tom Waits and Tim Buckley, Conner Brothers along with the awesome Mark Lanegan created amazing albums that conform now part of the catalog of the Seattle movement, "nearly lost you" , "Dollar bill" , "Butterfly" , "More or less" and "Alice said" represent a few of their most known cuts of this band, after "Dust" album this four Seattle sons decided to split up in 1996, and Lanegan focused more in his solo career wich already had begun when the trees still were an active band , Lanegan career from my point of view has been mouch more brilliant than Screaming trees career , but thats just my opinion.
Ocean of Confusion, is a must have for all Trees and Lanegans fans you gonna be delighted.
HM

this cd is great first off. i bought this without having ne other screaming trees albums and this got me hooked. at first i listend 2 the first 4 songs and thought o this is just ok, and dont get me wrong the first 4 songs r good but they are kind of bleak and lead 2 no were. But then the rest of the album isnt just good its amazing. so dont waste ur time reading this go out and buy this cd, but if ur expecting it 2 b grunge like mudhoney aic nirvana or soundgarden its not its much more relaxing and pretty but yet rocks hard the vocals reming me alot of later kurt cobain, the vocals r a mix of american gothic and folk music i think which is a cool spin. well hve fun listn 2 this album