Ultramega OK - Soundgarden > Reviews > Soundgarden is Ultra mega and ok

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Average
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Average
Value for Money

Advantages:	The Raw heavy begining to a classic grunge band
Disadvantages:	Few odd balls and track fillers

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

This was Soundgarden’s first LP release way back in 1988 there only LP on SST records.

Chris Cornell -Vocals
Kim Thayil -Guitar
Hiro Yamamoto -Bass
Matt Cameron - Drums

Track listing
1. Flower
2. All Your Lies
3. 665
4. Beyond the Wheel
5. 667
6. Mood for Trouble
7. Circle of Power
8. He Didn't
9. Smokestack Lightning
10. Nazi Driver
11. Head Injury
12. Incessant Mace
13. One Minute of Silence

Overall I would say that this album is more of an experimental side of the band trying to get its foot in the shoe that would eventually bring them to the band that they finally became. The songs produced on this album were not overly amazing (as Soundgarden came to be) but they were still good.

The Budget for this album was low and as such the production was not amazing quality but it somehow adds to the rawness of the record.

1. Flower – A great opening to the album and still to this day one of my favourite Soundgarden songs. An interesting opening riff that seems to pull you in and ease you into this classic grungy, metal-like, rocky album.

This song also features on two other of their releases. One is on the ‘Flower EP’ which was released only a year later and then finally on A-sides which is regarded to some as a best of but more accurately an introduction to Soundgarden's singles since they began 4/5

2. All Your Lies – Full of heavy riffs and driving bass lines, interesting song writing, Chris holding back the screaming but still rockin. 3/5

3. 665 - Not really a proper song but: Soundgarden’s answer to the stupid idea that certain records had satanic messages on them when played backwards. This song heard in reverse has screeching random riffs and Chris wailing something which when reversed says: "Hey Santa, you're my Christmas king, Santa is king! Santa is king! Hey Santa, I love you baby! You got what I need," Well needless to say I had a good laugh when I found that little detail out.

4. Beyond the Wheel - A very dark song both lyrically and musically. This song seems to focus on the lyrics as Chris’s vocals really sticks out which are doubled up at times. Very raw vocalising in the Cornell style. 3/5

5. 667 - This like 665 is not a song and last for only a minute has something to do with the fact that 665 and 667 are the numbers next to “666”, the band believed that the relation between metal and black magic was “totally ridiculous”

6. Mood for Trouble – My personal favourite on this album mainly for its energy, it’s a fast paced riffs rolling bass and great lyrics 4/5

7. Circle of Power – to me this song is a skip-a-track song, the lyrics are roared poorly and the sound doesn’t really seem to fit in with the rest of the songs on the album. In fact it hints at cheesiness with lyrics like “Ol' big bad a*s circle of power's comin' to getcha” Not impressed 1/5

8. He Didn't - a song with writing credits to the drummer doesn’t quite do too well and not really good being after a bad song 2/5

9. Smokestack Lightning – An unusual attempt at a blues cover, it think they did a pretty good job but nothing outstanding 2.5/5

10. Nazi Driver – A very interesting sound and saves the album, which seemed to be lowering off by this point. It’s weird title and even weirder lyrics “Bite the hand
that feeds, don’t care if it tastes like poison” give the song a bit of intrigue. Overall a good tune and I just love the bass line 3/5

11. Head Injury – Another great tune consistent to the other tracks with yet again weird lyrics. 3/5

12. Incessant Mace, doesn’t really stand out but isn’t a bad song either 2/5

13. One Minute of Silence. - I’m not a huge John Lennon fan but this is supposed to be a cover of one of his songs but unfortunately is quite literally 1 minute or so of silence (well you can hear people shuffling etc in the background). Before I found out this confusing detail I thought it was just a minute of silence dedicated to John Lennon but apparently not???

Not a really good starter for someone not familiar with the band but a must have for the proper grunge fan.