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Rating:
The greatest album in the history of rock, 10 songs that could have been 10 singles, as in the case of "Ten".
Temple of the Dog (a name chosen from a line of a song by Mother Love Bone) is the result of the collaboration between members of Pearl Jam (Eddie Vedder, Mike McCready, Stone Gossard, and Jeff Ament) and Soundgarden (Chris Cornell and Matt Cameron).
The most inspired and vocally gifted singers of the grunge period, the two quintessential guitarists, and "The drummer" could do nothing but produce this masterpiece released in 1991, mainly initiated by Chris Cornell, writer of the lyrics and most of the music, roommate of Andrew Wood (to whom the album is dedicated), the singer of the aforementioned Mother Love Bone, who passed away prematurely due to a fatal overdose.
"Say Hello 2 Heaven", an electric ballad of great intensity accompanied by a moving lyric, already shows the value of the album, with Cornell's voice standing out, reaching majestic and devastating power in the finale.
"Reach Down", with its eleven minutes, is an acid rock/blues track, where the guitars intertwine to the point of conversing with each other (Gossard and McCready excel in the over five-minute solo), Cornell adds his touch in the finale alternating with a gospel-like choir, proving to possess one of the greatest voices ever heard. It can be considered one of the top 10 pieces ever written in the musical landscape of all time.
In "Hunger Strike", Vedder and Cornell duet (it's a bit hard to distinguish the two in the lower parts), while in the chorus, Chris raises the tone and then explodes in the finale in his stentorian manner. The most beautiful and heartfelt track.
"Pushin Forward Back" is the most lively track, the guitars are powerful and rhythmic, Cameron is a hammer, and Cornell suitably embellishes the whole.
"Call Me a Dog" is the song that perhaps moved me the most, due to the intensity of the performance and the high note after the second verse, Chris leaves one perplexed by the tonal ranges he can reach with his full voice. Outstanding.
We move to "Times of Trouble", a beautiful ballad with piano insertion (also appears in "Call Me a Dog", "All Night Thing" and organ in "Four Walled World", played by Rick Parashar), a track also present under the name "Yellow Leadbetter" in the B-sides album "Lost Dogs" by Pearl Jam, sung only by Cornell who here perhaps shows a bit of protagonism.
"Wooden Jesus" opens with a drum pattern difficult to understand that pays homage to the Soundgarden drummer first and Pearl Jam now. In my opinion, the two singers duet again, but Vedder's collaboration does not appear. Third most beautiful track of the album.
"Your Savior" is perhaps the song I appreciated the least, except for what Cameron does in the finale. Beautifully connected and different drum passages, which characterize his unique style.
"Four Walled World" is a tribute to Cornell's unparalleled voice, while "All Night Thing" closes the album worthily with a final goodbye to Andrew.
I highly recommend anyone who loved the grunge period to listen to this album, the ultimate work of the Seattle movement. The musicians were just over twenty, and I believe that few, at that age, are capable of such creative genius and composing songs of such evocative power. Dedicated to all those who consider Grunge a pale, useless movement that left no mark on the musical landscape.
I apologize if it has already been reviewed, but I wanted to express my opinion on an album that accompanied a difficult period of my life, with sleepless nights and dark days, and taught me how to sing...
I dedicate it to a friend of mine who passed away in 1998, "Say Hello to Heaven" brother, R.I.P.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
01 Say Hello 2 Heaven (06:24)
Please, mother mercy
Take me from this place
And the long winded curses
I keep hearing in my head
Words never listened
And teachers all they never learned
Now I'm warm from the candle
But I feel too cold to burn
He came from an island
And he died from the street
He hurt so bad like a soul breaking
But he never said nothing to me
So say hello to heaven
New like a baby
Lost like a prayer
The sky was your playground
But the cold ground was your bed
Poor stargazer
She's got no tears in her eyes
Smooth like whisper
She knows that love heals all wounds with time
Now it seems like too much love
Is never enough, you better seek out
Another road 'cause this one has
Ended abrupt, say hello to heaven
I never wanted
To write these words down for you
With the pages of phrases
Of things we'll never do
So I blow out the candle, and
I put you to bed
Since you can't say to me
Now how the dogs broke your bone
There's just one thing left to be said
Say hello to heaven
03 Hunger Strike (04:06)
Well I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled
Yeah
But it's on the table
The fire's cooking
And they're farming babies
The slaves are all working
Blood is on the table
The mouths are all choking
But I'm goin' hungry
Yeah
I don't mind stealing bread
From the mouths of decadence
But I can't feed on the powerless
When my cup's already overfilled
But it's on the table
The fire is cooking
And they're farming babies
The slaves are all working
And it's on the table
Their mouths are all choking
But I'm going hungry (Going hungry)
I'm going hungry (Going hungry)
I'm going hungry (Going hungry)
08 Your Saviour (04:04)
People like you, I know myself
Walk in the shoes of somebody else
Whisper to me, my tragic fate
Whisper to me, my tragic end
But don't give me your savior
But don't give me your savior
People I choose, life on my own
Burn me your fuse, throw me your stones
Give me your brand, burn on my hand
Whisper to me, my tragic end
But don't give me your savior
But don't give me your savior
People I choose, I know myself
Lay my need out, give you my help
But you give me your blues
And you whisper my fate
But don't give me your savior
But don't give me your savior
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Other reviews
By cliffburton86
IT'S A MASTERPIECE!! A stunning album! At times dramatic. Angry yet delicate at the same time.
The singers give their all, creating a dreamlike atmosphere... An album categorically among the top 5 in the history of grunge music.
By il trucido
This is one of the most sincere and moving albums in music history: dedicated to the late Andrew Wood.
Music has nothing to do with technique or compositional talent, but what can elevate music to Art is only the emotion and sincerity with which it’s made.
By Trimalchione
This album is one of the greatest of all time, direct, moving, dedicated to the memory of a friend.
‘Hunger Strike’ is a chorus repeated four times where the voices of Vedder and Chris blend, chase, and combat in a crescendo of pathos.
