Customer Reviews

Songs From The Superunknown

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

 

 

A generous four stars for this good EP. Superunknown is Soundgarden's magnum opus and is perhaps the greatest album from the "post-grunge" era. Soundgarden were definitely inspired by Black Sabbath, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, etc. and brought the best of these influences to the core of their songs. On this EP, "Superunknown" and "Fell On Black Days" are similar to the album versions. "Jerry Garcia's Finger" is trippy enough and funny for a couple of spins. This one is worth buying for "She Likes Surprises" from the International LP version and the excellent stripped-down acoustic version of "Like Suicide". If you like Chris Cornell singing and strumming on "Like Suicide", check out his rendition of "Black Hole Sun" on Audislave's DVD "Live in Cuba".

This single, which serves as the soundtrack to the CD-ROM Alive in the Superunknown (now out of print and difficult to track down), is 25 minutes of rock heaven. Seriously. Minute for minute, its just as good as Superunknown. The title track, "Superunknown", is a revelation, one of my favorite songs off of Superunknown. Not only that, but its nice to have a version that doesn't fade straight into "Head Down", which is nice when assembling a comp CD...hehe.

The rest of the CD is a treat for any Soundgarden fan. You get the outstanding video version of "Fell On Black Days", which is even better than the album version-seriously. "She Likes Surprises" is from the international version of Superunknown, and is a nice treat. Its a rocking tune with more great riffs that didn't really fit on Superunknown. Nevertheless, its Soundgarden at their best; complex guitar work, Chris Cornell vascillating between a croon and a scream, and Kim Thayil soloing away.

The acoustic version of "Like Suicide" is wonderful...beautiful even. This rendition is Chris Cornell only, singing and playing his 12-string acoustic guitar. It adds an added dimension to the already great studio version, and presents a fragility rarely found in Soundgarden's music. The final track, "Jerry Garcia's Finger", is a spacey instrumental derived from a longer jam (which is split up into numerous parts on the CD-ROM). Great stuff...it may take awhile to sink in, but the song is among the most remarkable Soundgarden ever recorded.

Buy this CD while you still can; you will not regret it.

Songs From the Superunknown was a hit-and-miss collection of alternate versions and b-sides that supplement Soundgarden's 1994 album Superunknown (hence the title). The 23-minute EP features these five songs:

1. Superunknown (LP version) - This is the same version that was on the Superunknown album.
2. Fell On Black Days (Video version) - An abbreviated version of the Superunknown track. About as useful as a radio edit, which is to say not useful at all.
3. She Likes Surprises (International LP version) - This song is worth the price of the EP, as it was originally available only as the bonus track for the European version of Superunknown. It's also just a great Soundgarden song that any real fan of the band ought to hear.
4. Like Suicide (Acoustic version) - The song is from Superunknown, but the acoustic version is exclusive to this EP (and the Alive In The Superunknown EP). It was a great song to begin with, but by stripping it down it becomes that much more moving and powerful.
5. Jerry Garcia's Finger - This studio track is exclusive to this EP. It's an atmospheric instrumental song that, to be honest, I don't really care for.

I wouldn't call this an essential Soundgarden release, but "She Likes Surprises" and the acoustic version of "Like Suicide" are good enough that most serious Soundgarden fans should pick up a copy. Either that or download those two songs (legally, of course). This EP will probably become redundant if the long-rumored box set (or even a decent b-sides collection) ever sees the light of day, but for now it remains a worthwhile addition to the Soundgarden discography.

Soundgarden's superunknown stands out as one of the best albums of the 1990s. The Superunknown single is a great companion to superunknown mainly because it contains songs that should have been contained on superunkown such as she likes suprises available on the international version of superunkown and the acoustic version of like suicide. There is also the video version of fell on black days and jerry garcia's fingers which are also good.

I figured I would hold off on purchasing this CD because any Soundgarden box set would have to have these songs included. Boy was I wrong! When these songs were left off Telephantasm, I had to break down and buy this disc.

She Likes Surprises is a great song melding SG's Beatles influences with their Led Zep influences. Very cool song.

Just Like Suicide (Acoustic) - is a much more epic arrangement of the song compared to the version on SuperUnknown. The guitar layering is much more delicate and the vocal performance much more harrowing or heartfelt.

Fell on Black Days and SuperUnknown have some maked differences to the mixes, like they used alterante takes. Good stuff.

The only misstep for me is Jerry Garcia's Finger. It is like a noise sculpture.

If you like SG, you will not be disappointed with this disc.

When I bought this album I was in a very low point in my life.Kurt Cobain had just died and I was quetioning the meaning of it all.This album , along with Vs. from Pearl Jam, showed my true music and gave me hope and strength to carry on . This music is otherworldly soul,spacey and etheral.Passionate , honest and heavenly.The best album and music ever made...forever.

no one can compare with the

The Superunkown single is good ebcause is provides some rarities from soundgarden like the acoustic version of Like Suicide and She likes suprises. It's a good comapanion disk to superunknowon.