Soundgarden - Greatest Hits (Jpn) (Shm) (CD)

All Music Guide

For an act that was one of the definitive album artists of the late '80s and '90s, Soundgarden was a surprisingly effective singles band. Their singles effectively conveyed all of their best ideas, from their sludgy early Sub Pop recordings to the elaborate, postmetal psychedelia of their last two albums, Superunknown and Down on the Upside. That's the reason why the 17track compilation ASides is such a successful overview of the band's toobrief career. Most of their peers wouldn't be well represented by a compilation that concentrated solely on singles, but Soundgarden are, because their singles do capture what they're all about. There are many great songs left off ASides, from "Big Dumb Sex" to "My Wave," but it's hard to argue with what's here. Each single from every album from the 1987 debut EP Screaming Life through SST's Ultramega OK, to their four records for AM is here, with the Down on the Upside outtake "Bleed Together" added as an enticement for collectors. Almost every on...e of the group's bestknown songs are here, including "Hands All Over," "Loud Love," "Jesus Christ Pose," "Outshined," "Rusty Cage," "Black Hole Sun," "The Day I Tried to Live," "Spoonman," "Fell on Black Days," "Pretty Noose," "Burden in My Hand," and "Blow Up the Outside World," resulting in a neardefinitive summary of one of the most important and influential bands of the '90s. [This 2008 Universal Japan reissue has the same running order and cover art as AM's 1997 issue under the same title.] - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read more Less