Album Rating: 4.5

It really depends what angle you're coming from, I think if you really dug what most of DOTU was all about, you're probably not going to be into this too much. I respect what Talking thinks about the record, it might grow, might not. It doesn't really matter, everybody's going to hear something different anyway. I'm totally satisfied with this record anyway, but I have no idea where the hell they could go from here.

Album Rating: 4.0

"Soundgarden sounding like nowadays bands: linear sound, no hooks, no catchy riffs"

You obviously haven't listened to the record at all. This is incredibly consistent and just as weird and interesting as their other records. With that said, it looks to have some incredible tracks that stand among their best (Bones of Birds, A Thousand Days Before)

Ok I gave it a second, third and fourth listening and after all...yes, Bones of Birds might be taken as one of the outstanding tracks. i'd include Halfway There too even it sounds poppy. "A good album anyways" as said in my first comment.

Album Rating: 3.5

"Give the guy a break, he was singng Beyond the Wheel almost every night during the SU and BMF tours. What did you expect?"

It's a good thing that he wasn't singing Birth Ritual every night then huh? ;)

Also, unless it was just done a few times post reunion (and took too much out of him), Chris can still come very close to hitting the highs he used to. This is live too, which is typically much harder to do than in the studio depending on how long you've been singing already that night among other conditions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crILNt7-kj8

Album Rating: 4.5

Yeah, he can still hit the notes, but the timbre is totally different. When he's up that high, the consonants disappear and it becomes a series of "aa's" and "oh's"

Album Rating: 4.5

oh and the dreaded Chris Cornell post-2000 "ee's"

Album Rating: 4.5

The live version of Rowing in London is pure gold. Cornell sounds insanely good on this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvVpNZMRzfU

Digging: Palms - Palms

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Digging this album a ton, Worse Dreams has an insane riff

Digging: Boards of Canada - Tomorrow's Harvest

Album Rating: 4.0

genuinely surprised by this album. i didnt know soundgarden still had it in em

Digging: Kanye West - Yeezus

gota check but i dont believe you guys

Album Rating: 4.0

not as good as superunknown or badmotorfinger but still rules

it only got 3.34 on rym and rym is fact so hm

Album Rating: 4.0

and thats why rym sucks!

nah their ratings are way more accurate than here but we'll see

Album Rating: 3.5

"it only got 3.34 on rym and rym is fact so hm"

The last 7-8 songs of the album are the strongest (depending on whether or not you like Halfway There), starting with Bones of Birds. The songs before it aren't "bad", but it's like they frontloaded the modern radio rock, and then decided to either write Soundgarden songs, or visit their B-Sides catalogue from Superunknown and Down On The Upside.

That's why I gave it a 3.5.

Album Rating: 4.0

bones of birds is incredible

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

i gave it a 4 because it really shattered my expectations, based off live to rise and been away too long i thought this was gonna suck

Album Rating: 4.5

Why isn't any of the staff or contributors reviewing this? This album should get a feature.

Album Rating: 4.0

I saw the video of lollapalooza when they first got back together and cornell sounded awful, but then i saw them at the patriot center in virginia 2 summers ago and he killed it. They played for like 2.5 hours. It was awesome. I'm digging this on first listen. Bringin me back to my child hood. New deftones, new soundgarden, new pumpkins. If rage ever makes another album, that would be amazing.

Album Rating: 3.5

this is so unexpectedly awesome, i'm even considering 4.5ing it


who knows things might get crazy

Album Rating: 4.0

this seems wildly more consistent than DotU..

need to listen more though, but I am loving what I'm hearing

Digging: The Red Paintings - The Revolution is Never Coming