Artist: Temple of the Dog
Album: Temple of the Dog
Released: April 16, 1991
Chris Cornell and Eddie Vedder: two of the three biggest names of the grunge era of the early 1990s (Kurt Cobain being the other). But in early 1991, both were virtual unknowns: Cornell the lead singer for the Seattle underground band Soundgarden, and Vedder a surfer from San Diego who would soon become lead singer for another such band called Mookie Blaylock (later renamed Pearl Jam). In less than a year, both bands would release albums that would skyrocket them to big and much wider success.
Though it wouldn't become clear until years after the fact, Temple of the Dog was the precursor to this success. Temple of the Dog was a one-album project started by Cornell after his friend Andrew Wood, lead singer of Mother Love Bone, died from a drug overdose. Wood's bandmates Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament joined, as did Mike McCready and Soundgarden's Matt Cameron. (All of them would be future members of Pearl Jam.) Later in 1991, Soundgarden broke through with Badmotorfinger, as did Pearl Jam with Ten, but only after these albums became so popular did people notice Temple of the Dog.
I would say that this album sounds a little bit more like Pearl Jam that it does Soundgarden, though it has a sound that is unique from both of them. In general, it's slower and more melodic. It doesn't quite have the edge of Badmotorfinger or the intensity of Ten, but the sounds of the grunge era are certainly there, as is much of the emotion evident in early albums from these two bands. Cornell showed his deeper emotional side with "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Reach Down", which were written in response to Wood's death. Some of the other songs offer social commentary as well... for example, "Wooden Jesus" is an indictment of televangelists who care more about making money than saving souls. And of course, "Hunger Strike" is pretty straightforward; the band members admitted that it does have a somewhat socialist bent.
"Hunger Strike" was the big hit from this album and is still played on the radio quite a bit. It's one of my all-time favorite songs and somehow seems to get better every time I hear it. Cornell and Vedder have completely different voices, yet they play off each other so well. (Vedder provided vocals for a few other songs as well.) Before it comes "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and "Reach Down", which combined are over 17 minutes long yet don't seem drawn out at all. The former is great in its own right, as Cornell gives an outstanding performance on vocals. "Reach Down" features a powerful vocal performance as well, though the grunge sound plays a more prominent role here, particularly during the long instrumental part. However, in many spots, it has a slower and more classic rock feel than do later grunge albums.
Throughout the album, we continue to hear a more mellow grunge sound, possibly an indication that the band was trying to develop a more mainstream sound. Yet, there isn't much experimentation beyond these confines. "Call Me a Dog" and "Times of Trouble" are the slower tracks, as contrasted with "Pushin' Forward Back", which sounds more like the Pearl Jam of later on and provides a nice break from the emotionally draining tracks surrounding it. "Call Me a Dog" and "Times of Trouble" might be the two most unique tracks; the former has a great classic rock ballad sound to it, while the later leans a little towards blues, which they pull off well.
The rest of the album is still very solid. "Wooden Jesus" and "Your Savior" sound much like Soundgarden did in future albums. They both have a somewhat laid back sound yet still get their lyrics across in a powerful way. As with many other albums, the slowest track, "All Night Thing", is also the last; it's a good song, but considering how amazing the rest of the album is, it seems like there might have been a better way to wrap things up. "Four Walled World" might have been a better way to close; it's slower, yet almost seven minutes long, building in intensity to a dramatic ending.
I really don't know what more I can say about this album, other than that it is one of my all-time favorites. Though it might not be widely recognized as such, it was a major step forward in bringing about the grunge movement of the early '90s. The grunge era may not have been fully realized in this album, but perhaps that's what makes it so unique and enjoyable; it's more down-to-earth and humbling to listen to. It might not have had the glamour of later albums that these guys were involved in, yet it has steadily withstood the test of time as a great rock album.
Track #, Name of Song, Duration, My Rating
1. Say Hello 2 Heaven (6:24) - 10/10
2. Reach Down (11:13) - 9/10
3. Hunger Strike (4:06) - 10/10
4. Pushin' Forward Back (3:45) - 9/10
5. Call Me a Dog (5:05) - 10/10
6. Times of Trouble (5:43) - 9/10
7. Wooden Jesus (4:11) - 8/10
8. Your Savior (4:04) - 8/10
9. Four Walled World (6:54) - 8/10
10. All Night Thing (3:52) - 8/10
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