Badmotorfinger by Soundgarden (CD, Sep-1991, A&M (USA))

Badmotorfinger is coming up on it's ninth birthday as of this writing, and the amazing thing to me is how fresh it still is. Long back, this collection of attitude and amplifiers had a big spot in the rotation of the cassette player in my car. I finally got around to replacing it with a cd. Instinctively, I loaded it into the deck in my car and turned the volume up to 30. It was like going home.

I have long been a fan of grunge. It's stripped down simplicity and powerfully crunchy guitars ans crashing cymbols are a perfect blend between the ultra-stripped punk sound and the remenants of what was once hair-metal. What you end up with are vocals that can be understood, a complete lack of guitar solos (or bass solos or drum solos... ) and volume, volume, volume.

I always thought that Soundgarden was the best of the bunch, although Nirvana had a special place in my heart because I favor trios; everyone has to represent in a trio - there is nowhere to hide.

Even still, Chris Cornell's writing was more relevant, more resonant, his voice more dynamic. Kim Thayall's guitar, tuned to reflect his Eastern leanings, was specifically unique in the genre. He had a way of - for lack of a better word - "melting" tones that no one else was doing at that time. Maybe that's not the best way to describe it, but when I listened I always got a mental image that was distorted as if molten, clear wax was beging dripped over the camera's lense. Everything kind of bends and wrinkles. It's familiar, yet strange.

The band would eventually take the next step along the path of it's evolution and produce "Superunknown", which in many ways is a better cd than Badmotorfinger (in my honest opinion, Unknown is the BEST grunge cd of all). But, clearly the groundwork for that milestone was laid in '91 during the recording of Finger. If there was never a Rusted Cage, there could never be a Black Hole Sun.

Because Soundgarden would eventually succumb to their own success, and the members would go off to various other projects, there is a profound lack of original recorded work from these boys. They could have easily pushed out another cd or two, and made scads of money in the process. Fans, like me, have to scrounge around to pick up scraps, live recordings and outtakes.

Badmotorfinger is none of the above. Every track on it will please.

Why I Like This Cd? well this was the beginning of the Seattle Sound, and this was one of the bands along with Nirvana, Alice In Chains and Pearl Jam. Plus i used to have this cd along time ago, so just had to have it back in my collection.

Anyone who is a fan of Soundgarden or heavy music from a time when music was still genuine, full of guitars ready to feedback, thumping bass and pounding drums and a singer who can scream with the best of them; needs to have this is the collection!!! This was years before the popularity of Black Hole Sun and while that is good too, this is more primal. Check it out and if you like it then get Louder Than Love-it will rock you!

This cd is one of soundgardens best cds has great songs by the best singer chris cornell is a awesome lead singer would recommend this cd to anyone who likes good rockin tunes and it was a great price on this cd

One of the 80s best bands. they paved the way for all these so called rock bands of today. Chris Cornell has the best vocals. THEY RULE!!!