A-Sides

Last updated
A-Sides
Soundgarden a-sides cover.jpg
Greatest hits album by
ReleasedNovember 4, 1997 (1997-11-04)
Recorded1987–1996
Genre Alternative metal, grunge, alternative rock, heavy metal
Length79:10
LanguageEnglish
Label A&M
Producer Michael Beinhorn, Drew Canulette, Terry Date, Jack Endino, Adam Kasper, Soundgarden
Soundgarden chronology
Down on the Upside
(1996)
A-Sides
(1997)
Telephantasm
(2010)
Singles from A-Sides
  1. "Bleed Together"
    Released: November 1997
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [1]
Entertainment Weekly (A) [2]
Pitchfork Media 7.5/10 [3]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [4]
Robert Christgau Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg Five Pointed Star Solid.svg [5]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [6] [7]

A-Sides is a compilation album by the American rock band Soundgarden with songs spanning the band's thirteen-year career. It was released on November 4, 1997, through A&M Records.

Contents

Overview

The album was released in 1997 on A&M Records and was Soundgarden's last official release for 13 years, until 2010's Telephantasm . It debuted at number 63 on the Billboard 200 album chart. A-Sides has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States[ citation needed ] according to Nielsen SoundScan and over 700,000 copies worldwide,[ citation needed ] but has not yet been certified by the RIAA. It peaked at number 51 on the UK Albums Chart, number 39 on the Australian Albums Chart, and number 6 on the New Zealand Albums Chart.

It contains one song absent from previous albums ("Bleed Together") which appeared on import copies of the "Burden in My Hand" single. The opening track "Nothing to Say" was originally not an A-side. It appeared as the B-side to the band's first single "Hunted Down" on Sub Pop in 1987. In addition, "Get on the Snake" from Louder Than Love was released as a promo-only single in 1989. [8] Also, the 1990 Sub Pop single "Room a Thousand Years Wide" does not appear on A-Sides, nor the 1994 single "My Wave" from Superunknown .

AllMusic staff writer Stephen Thomas Erlewine gave the album four and a half out of five stars. He said, "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, post-metal psychedelia of their last two albums, Superunknown and Down on the Upside. That's the reason why the 17-track compilation A-Sides is such a successful overview of the band's too-brief career." [1] Entertainment Weekly reviewer David Browne gave the album an A. He said, "Pruning their best early songwriting ("Hands All Over", "Nothing to Say") and wisely highlighting chunks of their last two (and best) albums, A-Sides presents the band in all its evolving, bridling-horses glory and thunder. When all those Hanson fans grow up and want to educate themselves on the flannel era they missed, here's where they should turn." [2]

Following Chris Cornell's death in May 2017, A-Sides re-entered the Australian albums chart at number 47. On Record Store Day 2018, A-Sides was released on double green translucent vinyl. [9]

Track listing

All lyrics and music written by Chris Cornell, except where noted.

No.TitleMusicAlbumLength
1."Nothing to Say" Kim Thayil Screaming Life EP, 19873:56
2."Flower"Thayil Ultramega OK , 1988 (US)/1989 (UK)3:25
3."Loud Love"  Louder Than Love , 19894:57
4."Hands All Over"ThayilLouder Than Love6:00
5."Get on the Snake"ThayilLouder Than Love3:44
6."Jesus Christ Pose" Matt Cameron, Cornell, Ben Shepherd, Thayil Badmotorfinger , 19915:51
7."Outshined" Badmotorfinger5:11
8."Rusty Cage" Badmotorfinger4:26
9."Spoonman"  Superunknown , 19944:06
10."The Day I Tried to Live" Superunknown5:19
11."Black Hole Sun" Superunknown5:18
12."Fell on Black Days" Superunknown4:42
13."Pretty Noose"  Down on the Upside , 19964:12
14."Burden in My Hand" Down on the Upside4:50
15."Blow Up the Outside World" Down on the Upside5:46
16."Ty Cobb"ShepherdDown on the Upside3:05
17."Bleed Together"  Burden in My Hand single, 19963:54

Personnel

Soundgarden

Production

Charts and certifications

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soundgarden</span> American rock band

Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially by Scott Sundquist, and later by Matt Cameron in 1986. Yamamoto left in 1990 and was replaced initially by Jason Everman and shortly thereafter by Ben Shepherd. The band dissolved in 1997 and re-formed in 2010. Following Cornell's death in 2017 and a year of uncertainty regarding the band's future, Thayil declared in October 2018 that Soundgarden had disbanded once again, though they did reunite in January 2019 for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell.

<i>Ultramega OK</i> 1988 studio album by Soundgarden

Ultramega OK is the debut studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on October 31, 1988, by SST Records. Following the release of the EPs Screaming Life (1987) and Fopp (1988), both for the Sub Pop record label, Soundgarden signed with SST and went to work on their debut full-length. The resulting album contained elements of heavy metal, psychedelic rock, and hardcore punk. The band supported the album with a tour of the United States, as well as its first overseas tour.

<i>Superunknown</i> 1994 studio album by Soundgarden

Superunknown is the fourth studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on March 8, 1994, through A&M Records. Produced by Michael Beinhorn and the band themselves, Soundgarden began work on the album after touring in support of its previous album, Badmotorfinger (1991). Superunknown retained the heaviness of the band's earlier releases while displaying a more diverse range of influences.

<i>Badmotorfinger</i> 1991 studio album by Soundgarden

Badmotorfinger is the third studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on October 8, 1991, through A&M Records. Soundgarden began the recording sessions for the album with new bassist Ben Shepherd in the spring of 1991. The album maintained the band's heavy metal sound, while featuring an increased focus on songwriting compared to the band's previous releases. AllMusic considered the album's music to be "surprisingly cerebral and arty"; alternative tunings and odd time signatures were present on several of the album's songs, and lyrics were intended to be ambiguous and evocative.

<i>Euphoria Morning</i> 1999 studio album by Chris Cornell

Euphoria Mourning is the first solo studio album by American musician Chris Cornell. It was released through Interscope Records on September 21, 1999, and Cornell embarked on a tour in support of the album in 2000. Cornell's only album from between the dissolution of Soundgarden and the formation of Audioslave, it did not sell as well as much of his work with those groups, though it did sell over 75,000 copies in its first week of release and has gone on to sell over 393,000 copies in the U.S. The album was well-received critically, and its lead single, "Can't Change Me", was nominated for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rusty Cage</span> 1992 single by Soundgarden

"Rusty Cage" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Rusty Cage" was released in 1992 as the third single from the band's third studio album, Badmotorfinger (1991). The song became an instant hit and was released as a single in several different formats. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides and the 2010 compilation album Telephantasm.

<i>Down on the Upside</i> 1996 studio album by Soundgarden

Down on the Upside is the fifth studio album by the American rock band Soundgarden, released on May 21, 1996, through A&M Records. Following a worldwide tour in support of its previous album, Superunknown (1994), Soundgarden commenced work on a new album. Self-produced by the band, the music on the album was notably less heavy and dark than the group's preceding albums and featured the band experimenting with new sounds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Cameron</span> American drummer

Matthew David Cameron is an American musician who is the drummer for the rock band Pearl Jam. He first gained fame as the drummer for Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he joined in 1986. He appeared on each of the band's studio albums until its break-up in 1997. In 1998, Cameron was invited to join Pearl Jam's U.S. Yield Tour and then became a permanent member of the band. In 2010, Cameron became simultaneously a member of Pearl Jam and the reunited Soundgarden. He remained with Soundgarden until its disbandment after the death of lead singer Chris Cornell in 2017. Cameron, along with guitarist Kim Thayil and Cornell, is one of three members to feature on every Soundgarden studio album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Hole Sun</span> 1994 single by Soundgarden

"Black Hole Sun" is a song by American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, the song was released in 1994 by A&M Records as the third single from the band's fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994). Considered to be the band's signature song, it topped the US Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart, where it spent a total of seven weeks at number one. Despite peaking at number two on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, "Black Hole Sun" finished as the number-one track of 1994 for that listing. Worldwide, the single reached the top 10 in Australia, Canada, France, and Ireland, while in Iceland, it reached number one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spoonman</span> 1994 single by Soundgarden

"Spoonman" is a song by the American band Soundgarden. Written by the band's frontman, Chris Cornell, "Spoonman" was released on February 14, 1994, as the first single from the band's fourth studio album Superunknown (1994). "Spoonman" is credited as one of the songs that launched Soundgarden's career into the mainstream. The song peaked at number three on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number nine on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. A remixed version of the song by Steve Fisk appears on the "Black Hole Sun" and "My Wave" singles. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album A-Sides and the 2010 compilation album Telephantasm.

<i>The Singles 1992–2003</i> 2003 greatest hits album by No Doubt

The Singles 1992–2003 is a greatest hits album by American rock band No Doubt, released on November 14, 2003, by Interscope Records. It features 13 of the band's singles from three studio albums—Tragic Kingdom (1995), Return of Saturn (2000), and Rock Steady (2001)—and the single "Trapped in a Box" from their 1992 self-titled debut album. The album also included a cover of Talk Talk's 1984 song "It's My Life", the only new song on the album and which was released as a single. It was released alongside the DVD Rock Steady Live, a video of a concert as part of the band's Rock Steady tour in 2002, and the box set Boom Box, which contained The Singles 1992–2003, Everything in Time, The Videos 1992–2003, and Live in the Tragic Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Day I Tried to Live</span> 1994 single by Soundgarden

"The Day I Tried to Live" is a song by American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "The Day I Tried to Live" was released in April 1994 as the second single from the band's fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994). The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and number 25 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pretty Noose</span> 1996 single by Soundgarden

"Pretty Noose" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by the band's frontman, Chris Cornell, "Pretty Noose" was released in March 1996 as the first single from the band's fifth studio album, Down on the Upside (1996). The song reached number two on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blow Up the Outside World</span> 1996 single by Soundgarden

"Blow Up the Outside World" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Blow Up the Outside World" was released on November 18, 1996, as the third single from the band's fifth studio album, Down on the Upside (1996). The song topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, where it spent a total of four weeks at number one. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">My Wave</span> 1994 single by Soundgarden

"My Wave" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Featuring lyrics written by frontman Chris Cornell and music co-written by Cornell and guitarist Kim Thayil, "My Wave" was released in 1994 as the fourth single from the band's fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994). The song peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fell on Black Days</span> 1994 single by Soundgarden

"Fell on Black Days" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Fell on Black Days" was released as the fifth single from the band's fourth studio album, Superunknown (1994). The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides and the 2010 compilation Telephantasm as the Superunknown version on the single disc version and the video version on the Deluxe Edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burden in My Hand</span> 1996 single by Soundgarden

"Burden in My Hand" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Burden in My Hand" was released on September 18, 1996, as the second single from the band's fifth studio album, Down on the Upside (1996). The song topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, where it spent five weeks at number one. The song was included on Soundgarden's 1997 greatest hits album, A-Sides.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soundgarden discography</span>

The discography of Soundgarden, an American rock band, consists of six studio albums, two live albums, six compilation albums, eight extended plays, 24 singles and 23 music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bleed Together</span> Song by Soundgarden

"Bleed Together" is a song by the American rock band Soundgarden. Written by frontman Chris Cornell, "Bleed Together" was first released in the United States on Soundgarden's post-breakup greatest hits album, A-Sides (1997). It had previously appeared as a B-side on some foreign copies of the band's 1996 single, "Burden in My Hand". It was released as a single in November 1997 in support of A-Sides, and was the first single released by Soundgarden, after the band's breakup in April 1997. The song peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.

<i>King Animal</i> 2012 studio album by Soundgarden

King Animal is the sixth and final studio album by American rock band Soundgarden, released on November 13, 2012, through Universal Republic and Loma Vista Recordings in North America and Vertigo Records elsewhere. Produced by the band alongside Adam Kasper, it was Soundgarden's first studio album in 16 years, following Down on the Upside (1996). King Animal was also the final studio album released by Soundgarden prior to the death of frontman Chris Cornell in 2017 and the subsequent dissolution of the band in 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "allmusic ((( A-Sides > Review )))". Allmusic . Retrieved May 20, 2009.
  2. 1 2 Browne, David (1997-12-12). "A-Sides". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on 21 April 2009. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  3. Schreiber, Ryan. "Soundgarden: A-Sides". Pitchfork Media. November 1, 1997. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
  4. (October 2000). "Review: A-Sides". Q .
  5. Christgau, Robert. "Soundgarden". robertchristgau.com. Retrieved on May 20, 2009.
  6. Brackett, Nathan. "Soundgarden". The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. November 2004. pg. 762, cited April 18, 2010
  7. "Soundgarden: Album Guide". Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  8. "Soundgarden - Get On The Snake at Discogs". Discogs.com . Retrieved 2016-06-22.
  9. Soundgarden - Australian charts australian-charts.com. Retrieved May 31, 2017.
  10. "Australiancharts.com – Soundgarden – A-Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  11. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3387". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  12. "Charts.nz – Soundgarden – A-Sides". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  13. "Soundgarden | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  14. "Soundgarden Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  15. "Soundgarden Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 2, 2021.
  16. 1 2 "Soundgarden – Billboard Singles". AllMusic . Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  17. "British album certifications – Soundgarden – A-Sides". British Phonographic Industry.