Grunge?

I appreciate Mandel's comment. It may very well be true that these same thoughts come to us when we listen to this music. That's why I'll keep writing about it; to spur dialogue. Today, I'm tackling a somewhat nebulus genre called Grunge.

“Smells Like Teen Spirit” – Nirvana (1991)
One of the most recognizable riffs of modern music opens Nirvana’s major label debut Nevermind. Drawing on punk and metal influences, Nirvana brought the indie aesthetic to the mainstream unlike any band before. Using the soft/hard dynamic of The Pixies and a riff based on Boston’s “More Than a Feeling”, Cobain combined raw, feedback-filled sound with catchy vocal hooks. Lyrically, the song speaks to disenfranchised youth with the line “Here we are now, entertain us”, a saying Cobain used to use at parties.

“Jeremy” – Pearl Jam (1991)
Another important contributor to the Seattle sound, Pearl Jam offered enigmatic lyrics and thick guitar-heavy production. Formed in the fallout of Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam recruited San Diego surfer Eddie Vedder to front their project. “Jeremy” features his unmistakable baritone driving an epic arena rocker. The song speaks of failed parenting and a violently imaginative youth. Disparate guitar leads drip from the song, which ends with a melancholy bass solo.

“Them Bones” – Alice in Chains (1992)
One of the best heavy-metal bands of the ‘90s, Alice in Chains was fronted by singer Layne Stanley and guitarist Jerry Cantrell whose voices melded into beautiful harmonies, successfully juxtaposing against their sonic assault. The lead track off their ’92 release Dirt, a self-conscious cry for help from a desperate and dying heroin junkie, is “Them Bones”. Grinding Sabbath-esque riffs are applied to the grunge aesthetic flawlessly.

“Today” – The Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
Although not part of the Seattle movement, the Smashing Pumpkins contributed to the grunge sound with their combination of arena metal and indie rock. Whether his voice enlivens or annoys you, singer/guitarist Billy Corgan has an unforgettable presence, singing in a high nasal register, his lyrics cut through the bassy tones of Siamese Dream. Recorded during a period of great strain for the group, Corgan wrote and tracked virtually the entire album alone in the studio. Arguably one of the finest guitar-rock records of the period, each track is an avalanche of multi-tracked instrumentation. “Today”, the breakthrough single, has an instantly attention-grabbing lead, uplifting and exhilarating, which contrasts effectively with the descending pounding of the chord progression. Written about a day of suicidal impulses, “Today” is a song of longing for salvation.

“Black Hole Sun” – Soundgarden (1994)
Fronted by one of best vocalists of the grunge/alternative movement, Soundgarden produced their metal-ballad crossover hit “Black Hole Sun” in 1994. Equally appropriate to lighter-raising or moshing, singer Chris Cornell desperately cries out against a wall of guitar rock.

“Big Empty” – Stone Temple Pilots (1994)
Often criticized for their similarities to Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, STP will be remembered for successfully bridging alternative music into radio-friendly stadium rock. Their second album, Purple, finds the band churning through thick metal with brilliant memorable melodies standing out on nearly every track. “Big Empty” features a lazy bass groove over which vocalist Scott Weiland croons vulnerably. The transition from verse to chorus is one of the single most powerful moments in the period’s rock music.

“Hunger Strike” – Temple of the Dog (1990)
A one-album project to show tribute to the death of Mother Love Bone’s lead singer Andrew Wood, Temple of the Dog is a sort of grunge supergroup featuring members of both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. A mournful duet between then-unknown Eddie Vedder and Chris Cornell, “Hunger Strike” has a ‘70s hard-rock feel with emotive melodies and simple playing. Listen for Cornell’s impossibly high harmony during the chorus; moving, to say the least, and indicative of his Zeppelin influence.