THE GRUNGE MATCH - 018
Match 018:
Alice In Chains "Them Bones" (1992)
Nirvana "Polly" (1991)
Pearl Jam "Blood" (1993)
Soundgarden "Smokestack Lightning" (1988)
"Them Bones" hits you in the fucking face as soon as it starts. It lets you know Alice In Chains isn't fucking around anymore (which is the polar opposite of "Love Song" in the previous entry). It's easily one of their best songs, the guitar solo slays, it's one of the heaviest grunge songs ever written, and it still manages to have good vocal harmony. One of the reasons grunge captivated my imagination at its height.
"Polly" is an understated acoustic number with barely there bass and only a once every chorus cymbal hit for percussion (not even with a kick drum to back it up). Is it using a caged bird metaphor to barely disguise the BDSM things happening here? It's straightforward and a welcome respite by this point in "Nevermind".
I've never been a fan of "Blood"; it's honestly my least favorite track on "Vs.". But damned if Eddie Vedder isn't trying to banshee wail the world to death on this song. I mean, decent effort and all mate, but I just don't dig the finished product.
"Smokestack Lightning" came out while The Cult were writing "Sonic Temple" which features "Fire Woman" and has a line in it that says "Smokestack Lightning". I wish there was more to write about this song, but it's a boring, if competent blues jam with no rhyme nor reason to it. They just jammin', man.
"Them Bones": 4
"Polly": 3
"Blood": 2
"Smokestack Lightning": 1
TOTALS:
Pearl Jam: 61
Alice In Chains: 47
Nirvana: 45
Soundgarden: 27
Now that three of the four bands are at the full height of their powers, what will happen next? Stay tuned to find out!
Alice In Chains "Them Bones" (1992)
Nirvana "Polly" (1991)
Pearl Jam "Blood" (1993)
Soundgarden "Smokestack Lightning" (1988)
"Them Bones" hits you in the fucking face as soon as it starts. It lets you know Alice In Chains isn't fucking around anymore (which is the polar opposite of "Love Song" in the previous entry). It's easily one of their best songs, the guitar solo slays, it's one of the heaviest grunge songs ever written, and it still manages to have good vocal harmony. One of the reasons grunge captivated my imagination at its height.
"Polly" is an understated acoustic number with barely there bass and only a once every chorus cymbal hit for percussion (not even with a kick drum to back it up). Is it using a caged bird metaphor to barely disguise the BDSM things happening here? It's straightforward and a welcome respite by this point in "Nevermind".
I've never been a fan of "Blood"; it's honestly my least favorite track on "Vs.". But damned if Eddie Vedder isn't trying to banshee wail the world to death on this song. I mean, decent effort and all mate, but I just don't dig the finished product.
"Smokestack Lightning" came out while The Cult were writing "Sonic Temple" which features "Fire Woman" and has a line in it that says "Smokestack Lightning". I wish there was more to write about this song, but it's a boring, if competent blues jam with no rhyme nor reason to it. They just jammin', man.
"Them Bones": 4
"Polly": 3
"Blood": 2
"Smokestack Lightning": 1
TOTALS:
Pearl Jam: 61
Alice In Chains: 47
Nirvana: 45
Soundgarden: 27
Now that three of the four bands are at the full height of their powers, what will happen next? Stay tuned to find out!
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