Soundgarden - Echo Of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across The Path [3CD] (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Grunge / Alternative

Label -

 

Track listing:

 

Disc one - Originals

01. "Sub Pop Rock City" (Sub Pop 200)

02. "Toy Box" (Flower single b-side)

03. "Heretic" (Loudest Love EP) 

04. "Fresh Deadly Roses" (Loudest Love EP) 

05. "HIV Baby" (Room a Thousand Years Wide single b-side) 

06. "Cold Bitch" (Spoonman single b-side)

07. "Show Me" (No Alternative)

08. "She's a Politician" (Satanoscillatemymetallicsonatas EP) 

09. "Birth Ritual" (Singles soundtrack)

10. "She Likes Surprises" (international version of Superunknown) 

11. "Kyle Petty, Son of Richard" (Fell on Black Days single b-side) 

12. "Exit Stonehenge" (Spoonman single b-side)

13. "Blind Dogs" (The Basketball Diaries soundtrack) 

14. "Bleed Together" (Burden in My Hand single b-side) 

15. "Black Rain" (Telephantasm compilation)

16. "Live to Rise" (The Avengers soundtrack)

17. "Kristi" (Previously unreleased)

18. "Storm" (Previously unreleased) 

Disc two - Covers

01. "Swallow My Pride" (Fopp EP.) 

02. "Smokestack Lightning" (Ultramega OK) 

03. "Everybody's  2:27 Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey (John Peel Sessions)" (Previously unreleased)

04. "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) (John Peel Sessions)" (Previously unreleased) 

05. "Come Together" (Loudest Love EP)

06. "Stray Cat Blues" (Satanoscillatemymetallicsonatas EP) 

07. "Into the Void (Sealth)" (Satanoscillatemymetallicsonatas EP) 

08. "Girl U Want" (Satanoscillatemymetallicsonatas EP)

09. "Touch Me" (Rusty Cage single b-side)

10. "Can You See Me? (Friday Rock Show BBC Sessions)" (Outshined b-side) 

11. "Homicidal Suicidal (Friday Rock Show BBC Sessions)" (Outshined b-side) 

12. "I Can't Give You Anything (Friday Rock Show BBC Sessions)" (Outshined b-side) 

13. "I Don't Care About You (Friday Rock Show BBC Sessions)" (Outshined b-side) 

14. "Waiting for the Sun (Live)" (Before the Doors: Live on I-5 Soundcheck)

15. "Search and Destroy (Live)" (Live on I-5)

16. "Big Bottom (Live)" (Louder Than Live)

17. "Earache My Eye (Live)" (Louder Than Live)

 

Disc threes - Oddities

01. "Twin Tower" (Previously unreleased) 

02. "Jerry Garcia's Finger" (Pretty Noose single b-side) 

03. "Ghostmotorfinger" (Fell on Black Days single b-side (as "Motorcycle Loop") 

04. "Night Surf" (Previously unreleased)

05. "A Splice of Space Jam" (Blow Up the Outside World single b-side) 

06. "The Telephantasm" (Telephantasm compilation)

07. "Black Days III" (Superunknown 2014 re-issue) 

08. "Karaoke" (Burden in My Hand single b-side)

09. "Fopp (Fucked Up Heavy Dub mix)" (Fopp EP)

10. "Big Dumb Sex (Dub version)" (Loud Love single b-side) 

11. "Spoonman" (Steve Fisk remix)" (Black Hole Sun single b-side)

12. "Rhinosaur (The Straw that Broke the Rhino's Back remix)" (Ty Cobb single b-side)

13. "Dusty (Moby remix)" (Blow Up the Outside World single b-side)

14. "The Telephantasm (Steve Fisk 2014 remix)" (Previously unreleased) 

15. "One Minute of Silence" (Ultramega OK)

Soundgarden have released their fair share of compilations over the years, but this, their latest release, proves to be a little different. ‘Echo of Miles: Scattered Tracks Across the Path,’ is a 3 disc set that brings together many of Soundgardens rarer and hard to find tracks, be they from the various soundtracks that they have contributed to or single b-sides. 
As stated, the collection is broken down into three discs and fans will be able to get their hands on this massive set at the end of November. The three albums are titled ‘Originals,’ ‘Covers’ and ‘Oddities’ and while it’s a rarities set, there are 7 previously unreleased tracks that are part of the release
"Echo Of Miles: The Originals" mostly consists of B-sides, though "Kristi" and "Storm" are among the new songs that turn up on the effort.
The new tracks were recorded with producer Jack Endino in Seattle back in May.
Soundgarden guitarist Kim Thayil has been dedicating his time to curating ‘Echo of Miles’ and he says of the set: “As album sets go, this one has been fun to collect and compile over the decades. I personally may have referenced this project a number of times over the years, going back almost twenty of them to the mid-nineties”.
"Echo Of Miles: The Originals" is plenty of Soundgarden B-sides along with some soundtrack and compilation selections, which go back as far as "Sub Pop Rock City," originally included as part of the 1988 compilation, Sub Pop 200.
The two unreleased tracks on this disc are "Kristi," a 1996 outtake from the Down On The Upside sessions which is reportedly drummer Matt Cameron's favourite Soundgarden song, and "Storm" a brand-new track recorded earlier this year.
Although these songs were released in the past, all are rare B-sides and really hard to find.
The other two discs bring together the various covers and odd tracks that the band have recorded over the years.

This really is a great release with plenty of great tracks to make it appeal to the general rock fan not just the Soundgarden die hards.

Highly recommended.

Rating - 10/10

 

Soundgarden - King Animal (2012)

Genre - Grunge / Alt. Rock

Track listing:

01 – Been Away Too Long
02 – Non-State Actor
03 – By Crooked Steps
04 – A Thousand Days Before
05 – Blood On The Valley Floor
06 – Bones Of Birds
07 – Taree
08 – Attrition
09 – Black Saturday
10 – Halfway There
11 – Worse Dreams
12 – Eyelid’s Mouth
13 – Rowing
14 – Worse Dreams (Demo)
15 – Black Saturday (Demo)
16 – By Crooked Steps (Demo)
17 – Bones Of Birds (Demo)
18 – A Thousand Days Before (Demo)


After a monumental 16 year hiatus, Soundgarden return with an all new offering in the form of "King Animal". Now out of all the leading Grunge era bands, Soundgarden, in my honest opinion were one of the strongest, building their sound upon some classic rock and metal foundations, whilst taking rock music into a whole new direction. But are they still relevant? Can they still pull it off? Is this album just another example of a long defunct legend trying to cash in and ride a wave of nostalgia? Well with "King Animal", Soundgarden prove that yes, they are still very relevant to today's music world, and yes, they can still pull it off! Although "King Animal" does at times feel a little formulaic in places to me, Soundgarden are far from riding any waves of nostalgia.
"King Animal" is a strong and solid album, opening with ‘Been Away Too Long’, which serves as a battle cry for the band’s triumphant return. It’s almost as if the band wrote a personal letter to their fans with Cornell’s brooding confessions, “I’ve been away for too long” and “I only ever really wanted a break.”
This album is classic Soundgarden, moody, groove-laden rock. Jam packed with great riffs, hooks and melodies. "King Animal" is a journey that showcases the bands evolution, building upon a legacy that the established over two decades ago, with an ease as though they had never been away.

Highlights include, 'By Crooked Steps', with its explosive drums, the ethereal vocals of 'Blood On The Valley Floor', and the intricate soundscapes of 'Bones Of Birds'.

A good solid album from a band that have been away far too long!

Rating - 9/10