Now Playing: Temple of the Dog (1990)
Topic: Temple of the Dog
Formed by members of Soundgarden and what would eventually become Pearl Jam a year later, Temple of the Dog was a one album effort to pay tribute to a fallen friend. The late Andrew Wood, lead singer of the grunge act Mother Love Bone died of a heroin overdose and the Seattle rock movement was deeply affected. This album is not only a testament to the friendship of the era, but to the entire early 90s rock music scene. The grunge, alternative rock era, was a tremendous departure from the glam rock style of the 80s, containing a more mainstream attack than that of 1970s rock. It essentially was the best of both worlds, and bands like the aforementioned Soundgarden, Mother Love Bone, Alice In Chains, and Nirvana became the powerhouses of the decade. Unfortunately, Andrew Wood departed from our world too early (like many grunge gods like Layne Staley and Kurt Cobain), and his death essentially has shaped the landscape for what music is today - it's just a shame that he died before his time.
Temple of the Dog is a beautiful, supremely crafted album. Chris Cornell is the primary contributor and songwriter, and his work here is some of his best. At the time, Soundgarden was practically a heavy-metal act, and Temple of the Dog showcased Cornell's ability and savvy to write much more melodic material. Indeed, the first two songs on this album, "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and the 11 minute opus "Reach Down", are straight from the heart lasting tributes to Wood. The rest of the album is more straightforward grunge rock at its best - it has some tremendous depth. In essence, the rest of the album is celebration of the art itself and the fantastic chemistry that is possible when great musicians and friends come together and play together, a certain magic that is attainable.
This album also features a then-unknown Eddie Vedder, who lends his vocals in a duet with Cornell in the song "Hunger Strike" which now among fans has reached legendary proportions. On seldom but special occaisons, Cornell will join Vedder and the rest of Pearl Jam on stage to perform "Hunger Strike" live - indeed a rare treat. I had the privalage to see Cornell live in concert fairly recently and he performed "Say Hello 2 Heaven" and it brought the house down. This album has something of a cult status, but at the same time, it remains as one of the best pieces of music collaberation this generation has known, and stands as one of the finest examples of grunge era music.
When Pearl Jam was formed a year later, with Vedder at the helm as lead singer, they shot to superstardom, and Temple of the Dog only gained popularity as both Pearl Jam and Soundgarden shared such fantastic success. The staying power of this record though is not simply because it is a novelty for fans of these two great bands, but that it is a true exemplar of terrific music that exudes Chris Cornell's song writing prowess - not to mention his awesome vocal range; in fact, on the song "Say Hello 2 Heaven", apparently Cornell reaches his highest vocal octave ever recorded - now that is cool!
This is one of the best albums of the 1990s, and one of the best of the era with every song being a winner.
TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:
"Say Hello 2 Heaven"
"Reach Down"
"Wooden Jesus"
"Hunger Strike"
"Call Me A Dog"
"Times of Trouble"
-Kurt L.
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Updated: Friday, 26 March 2010 10:08 AM EDT
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