Alloy There!

ULTRAMEGA OK
10/31/88

The first of the so-called Big 4 to offer sound in exchange for currency were also the first to record a full-length LP, and that is where we start.

1988 was a decent year for the legendary SST records, putting out certifiably great records by Saint Vitus and Dinosaur Jr. in addition to Soundgarden's debut. Each deserved Grammy attention, but only the guys from Seattle got one…for Best Metal Performance, at that. Ultramega OK is undeniably a black lung, and also a damp armpit, a scarred belly. Meaning while the metal influence is clear, so are the sways of hard rock and punk.

"Flower"--The only single is the story of a vain girl, "eyes a purple green," alluring in all the ways a woman can learn. (And also unlearn, but where's the fun in that?) Solid start, even if the structure is nothing special, and guitarist Kim Thayil's got some bad-ass breath.

"All Your Lies"--Ah, the smell of gasoline and black smoke in the mid-morning. Moods, pitches, those are a snap to switch. Bending sunbeams, straightening out highway routes, smoothing snake skin, good luck getting that done in a day.

"665"--Dark, evil, literal shit. Parody? Yeah, get a pair o' these.

"Beyond the Wheel"--Blue-collar till they're red in the hands. Turn it up and twist it. Fathers and sons and mothers and sons, meanwhile the daughters gain wisdom, confidence, and one day, power.

"667"--Guys, space these out. Or just don't include them.

"Mood For Trouble"--Soundgarden's most potent weapon was Chris Cornell's voice. I shock no one with that sentence. Its poignancy would accrue from repeated use; on Ultramega, Cornell is grit and grind, more russet than amber. Rob Halford with a leather allergy, some parts.

"Circle of Power"--A throwaway to some, a bell-ringer for me. Bassist Hiro Yamamoto (who co-wrote) takes over the mic to prove himself the drunken master of no trades. Few things are more profoundly metal than subjugation anthems: torches burn, goblets clink, wrenches shrill, and blades swing.

Now is as good a time as any to salute drummer Matt Cameron. He's really great at what he does, despite what the production is trying to tell us.

"He Didn't"--Tear me down, buttercup. Oxymorons are for geniuses. See, he did nothing to a ridiculous degree. Or, he failed to do anything perfectly at a level unmatched. 

"Smokestack Lightning"--The best blues music touches shoe soles and mountaintops. One of several covers Soundgarden recorded in their halcyon days, "Smokestack Lightning" is a sludge casserole--break dish and bury shards after serving.

(Also catch the excerpt of Sonic Youth's "Death Valley '69" near the end, inspired by the Youth's own sampling of the Stooges on their Bad Moon Rising album.  There was a "Flower" on that record, too. Huh.)

"Nazi Driver"--Hiro provided the bowl and broth for this ugly stew, but wisely lets Chris Cornell do Chris Cornell things. Morals fly outta the nearest hole in the house when it comes to menacing a menace. "The only color is red."

"Head Injury"--A punk track that still needs to wake up early most days of the week.

"Incessant Noise"--Ugh, this one makes me wanna floss. Cornell just can't detach himself from the words.

"One Minute Of Silence"--A cover, kinda, of John and Yoko's "Two Minutes Of Silence." What's a debut album without self-indulgence?



Despite the subpar ending, Ultramega OK is a strong record. It flows like I do every once in awhile, and the band's diverse influences keep their technical proficiency from coming off as sterile.