Soundgarden: King Animal
Soundgarden
King Animal
(Seven Four Entertainment/Republic)
I was as thrilled as anyone when Soundgarden announced their reformation and new album. After the successful return of their brothers-in-grunge–Alice In Chains–Chris Cornell and Co. were ready to crank up their unconventionally tuned guitars again and deliver the goods.
The resulting effort, King Animal, in my humble opinion is not nearly as interesting as I hoped. The great thing about Soundgarden is they never put out the same album, keeping things fresh but always with a lingering sense of trippiness (fully embraced on Superunknown.) There is very little of that feel and the majority of the songs just seem uninspired. It has its moments like âBlood On the Valley Floor,â which would have fit in nicely on Badmotorfinger with its dark, sludgy riffing. âBy Crooked Stepsâ is another strong track, as is the hypnotic âRowing.â However, my favorite track on King Animal is easily âBones Of Birds,â which has that underlying element of trippiness I mentioned, although this song could have just as easily been on Cornellâs solo debut (the excellent Euphoria Morning).
I know Soundgarden does things on their own terms, so I wonât go as far as to say King Animal sounds forced. However, it does come across as safe considering their previous output, but after sixteen years in limbo you canât blame the guys if theyâre just testing the waters a little before jumping back in. Like Cornell says himself in the rocking opening track, âBeen Away Too Long,â you canât go home again–so true.
I think King Animal is one of those albums that needs several spins to be appreciated as it does tend to grow on you. I wonât be surprised if I absolutely love it sometime in the near future. All in all, King Animal is a strong enough return for Soundgarden fans old and new to take notice. On a personal note, itâs great to see bassist Ben Shepherd back on the front lines. The bandâs secret weapon has definitely been away too long. Itâs great to have you back, boys.