THE GRUNGE MATCH - 112
Match 112:
Alice In Chains "Take Her Out" (2009)
Nirvana "Dumb" (Live '91, Peel Session)
Pearl Jam "Supersonic" (2009)
Soundgarden "Show Me" (1992/93)
"Take Her Out" is perfectly acceptable wannabe radio rock single bait. Catchy, but not catchy enough. Gutsy but not at all threatening. Soaring chorus that's not memorable in the least. There's nothing wrong with it at all, but not nearly enough right with it to warrant further investigation.
This version of "Dumb" is from the same Peel Session as "Endless, Nameless", which means it's almost 26 months before the album version came out on "In Utero" in 1993. It's tuned a half step up to standard E tuning, which is typical of Nirvana's live performances at the time. This version is slower, sloppier and desperately missing the cello accompaniment. It's passable for a teenage band covering it, not the genuine article.
"Supersonic" is certainly top speed for Pearl Jam (which is about 140 bpm). It's peppy but kind of toothless. The lyrics are bad enough to undercut it, but only slightly. It has a nice halftime breakdown in the middle that keeps things interesting enough, but it's about as cool as 45 year olds taking up skateboarding for the first time.
"Show Me" was a B-Side to "Rusty Cage" in 1992, then on the "No Alternative" compilation in 1993. It's listless, never gets solid enough to have purpose, but still has a decent breeze to it. It's not the worst thing to hear on a Soundgarden B-Sides collection, but it would have weakened any studio album after "Louder Than Love". (Also: I had to look up the lyrics (wish I hadn't, cuz they suck) because I thought the chorus was saying "Show Me, Show Me on the doll" as in "Show me where he touched you on the doll", but it's actually "Show Me oh, the go". Yeah, sure it is.)
"Supersonic": 4
"Show Me": 3
"Take Her Out": 2
"Dumb" (Live '91): 1
TOTALS:
Soundgarden: 308
Alice In Chains: 289
Pearl Jam: 279
Nirvana: 243
That was certainly unexpected. Things can go topsy-turvy in the land of "shit Nick's never heard before" so don't give up hope just yet. [Blogger's note: This is agonizing irony, as it's the last sentence of this blog I wrote in Chris Cornell's lifetime.]
Alice In Chains "Take Her Out" (2009)
Nirvana "Dumb" (Live '91, Peel Session)
Pearl Jam "Supersonic" (2009)
Soundgarden "Show Me" (1992/93)
"Take Her Out" is perfectly acceptable wannabe radio rock single bait. Catchy, but not catchy enough. Gutsy but not at all threatening. Soaring chorus that's not memorable in the least. There's nothing wrong with it at all, but not nearly enough right with it to warrant further investigation.
This version of "Dumb" is from the same Peel Session as "Endless, Nameless", which means it's almost 26 months before the album version came out on "In Utero" in 1993. It's tuned a half step up to standard E tuning, which is typical of Nirvana's live performances at the time. This version is slower, sloppier and desperately missing the cello accompaniment. It's passable for a teenage band covering it, not the genuine article.
"Supersonic" is certainly top speed for Pearl Jam (which is about 140 bpm). It's peppy but kind of toothless. The lyrics are bad enough to undercut it, but only slightly. It has a nice halftime breakdown in the middle that keeps things interesting enough, but it's about as cool as 45 year olds taking up skateboarding for the first time.
"Show Me" was a B-Side to "Rusty Cage" in 1992, then on the "No Alternative" compilation in 1993. It's listless, never gets solid enough to have purpose, but still has a decent breeze to it. It's not the worst thing to hear on a Soundgarden B-Sides collection, but it would have weakened any studio album after "Louder Than Love". (Also: I had to look up the lyrics (wish I hadn't, cuz they suck) because I thought the chorus was saying "Show Me, Show Me on the doll" as in "Show me where he touched you on the doll", but it's actually "Show Me oh, the go". Yeah, sure it is.)
"Supersonic": 4
"Show Me": 3
"Take Her Out": 2
"Dumb" (Live '91): 1
TOTALS:
Soundgarden: 308
Alice In Chains: 289
Pearl Jam: 279
Nirvana: 243
That was certainly unexpected. Things can go topsy-turvy in the land of "shit Nick's never heard before" so don't give up hope just yet. [Blogger's note: This is agonizing irony, as it's the last sentence of this blog I wrote in Chris Cornell's lifetime.]
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