Reviews

The oddly named King Animal, the first Soundgarden album in 18 years, is an amazing piece of work. At times it is a lumbering beast, and at others it is a charging animal, but it all sounds incredibly organic. It is the sort of album only years of experience can bring, and the cohesiveness of these four humans are at the core. The lyrics are mature and both cryptic and revealing at the same time. The production is crip, but unlike many modern albums it is never lifeless. Opening with 'Been Away Too Long' (with some clear nods lyrically to the return of the band), this the usual heavy opener that is expected. What is different though is Chris Cornell's voice. This isn't the smooth croon of the 90s, but instead a road worn grind, perfectly adding to the feeling of coming home after a long time away. The pre-chorus sounds straight out of Superunknown, and the song is a welcome return to the band once they hit the big chorus. It is an accessible track, and may lead the listener to believe this is an album built for mass consumption, but even during their most popular period in the mid-90s the band never shied away from keeping some odd quirks. The next two songs are a great example of this, immediately reestablishing the integrity of the band's originality and showing they still know how to be the band they gave life to. 'Non-State Actor' has a great repeating (almost droning riff) that hooks in, and by the chorus the songs opens into an epic anthem lyrically, reminding us of the power of the people. 'By Crooked Steps' takes the discordant syncopation even further, with an odd 5/4 time signature. The vocals float over the music, weaving in and out of time, and the whole song is on the edge of collapse throughout. Cornells' vocals are even more ragged here than other tracks, but it works with his obscure and dark lyrics. This is a band at its peak, even after such a long break, sure of itself in every way. Kim Thayil gets a chance to show off some intricate fret work on 'A Thousand Days Before', and 'Blood On The Valley Floor' slows the pace down to sludgy crawl. 'Bones Of Birds' is the first time we see an attempt at a big power-ballad, and although it is a great song, it isn't one for the ages like some of their earlier works. 'Attrition' punks things up, and much like earlier albums, the song shows this is a collection of everything in one package. No two songs sound alike in style or even tone, making the listen fresh throughout. 'Halfway There' takes us toward the finish (yes, it isn't halfway), and is the poppiest track on the album, before heading into 'Worse Dreams', a track that sounds like it was lifted straight from Down On The Upside. Pearl Jam's Mike McCready lends his magic fingers to a solo on the moody 'Eyelid's Mouth' before the album ends with the somber 'Rowing'. It's a song that could easily be passed off as boring on first listen - driven mostly by a repetitive winding bass line. Over time it slowly grows on you, talking not with lyrics, but with the music itself. It is song about sadness as well as hope. A song about leaving as much as it is about arriving. 'Rowing is living, and living is hard, but living beats losing all that we are.' Rock was never supposed to be so profound.