I was driving down I-5 from Seattle to L.A. late at night when I first heard the news. Watching this at a friend's house after that had a surreal quality to it. I was not a huge fan but I was fan enough to recognize the impact their music had so knew the loss was huge.
The mourning rituals went on in Seattle but for me this was the death knell of grunge. Grunge had already achieved its apex with "SLTS" becoming such a huge hit and the imitators were on the ascendant. For those who haven't seen it the documentary "Hype" sums it up well.
By the time I made it back to Seattle I was already moving toward the electronic music scene so the sense of mourning I get when listening to this is not so much for him but as representative of closure for that period of my life. The album is powerful and cemented their significance.
And underneath the volume these guys not only lay out the deeper history of grunge here but also reveal a warmer, more vulnerable, side of the band.
Essential on every level.
Sourced from 24bit/96khz vinyl.
Everything about this album is remarkable - the Bowie cover is maybe one of the best I've ever heard. Great choice - that franchise has had more than its share of duds, but this one is the genuine article.
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